GWADAR: Members of the parliamentary committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), who arrived in Gwadar on Saturday, inspected construction work on the western route of the project on Sunday.

The members, led by committee chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, took an aerial view of the under-construction route from a military helicopter.

They were accompanied by senior officials of the Frontier Works Organisation, National Highway Authority and local commanders of the CPEC Special Security Division of the army and Frontier Corps.

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This was the first time that lawmakers paid a visit to several areas of the western route of the CPEC, which starts from Gwadar and winds its way through Balochistan and KP to reach the Chinese city of Kashgar via Gilgit-Baltistan, a distance of approximately 2,400 kilometres.

The parliamentary committee members inspected the Tallar, Turbat and Hushab sections of the CPEC route and saw development work being done by the FWO and NHA, including a 1.5km bridge built over Kech River.

Then they visited M-8 section of the western route and went to nine construction camps. They were told that the construction of the road was progressing at a pace of 1.5km a day.

Talking to journalists, Senator Hussain said that the CPEC was a vital project for progress and prosperity of smaller provinces, particularly Balochistan and KP.

He praised the FWO and NHA for their achievements and said that CPEC had opened new opportunities for the development of remote areas through road connectivity.

He said that CPEC was a strategic national project which would ensure fast development of less-developed areas of Balochistan, KP and Gilgit-Baltistan.

He described 16 civilians and soldiers, who lost their lives during the construction of the CPEC as national heroes. He said they had laid down their lives for a better future of their countrymen. The senator noted that since June 2015 there had been no attacks on people associated the construction of the CPEC.

The committee delegation included retired Lt Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch, Rana Afzal, Sardar Fateh Muhammed Hasni, Baz Muhammed Khan, Imran Leghari, Ghous Bux Mehar, Mir Hasil Bizenjo, retired Lt Gen Salahuddin Tirmizi and Shahji Gul Afridi.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2015