ISLAMABAD: Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that the bidding process of four early harvest energy projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has commenced and work on them will start this year.

Speaking at the CPEC International Forum in Karamay city of Xinjiang on Tuesday, the minister said that after completing all the requisite regulatory and other facilitation requirements, the government was doing speedy financial close to achieve the deadlines.

According to the planning minister the two governments had planned to add 10,400MW of electricity through early harvest energy generation projects which would be completed by 2017-18. Another 6,645MW through the early harvest projects are on actively promoted list, he said.

He said that the two countries have agreed on infrastructure projects totaling $6 billion which would upgrade connectivity from Khunjerab on the western border of China to the south of Pakis­tan to Gwadar in the first phase. These also include an airport and an expressway to provide connectivity to the port with north bound road and rail link.

He added that the land for free zone at Gwadar has been transferred to the Chinese company operating the port for the development of an industrial area.

Investors have shown interest in establishing units in the industrial areas, he said.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2015

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