STORY: Pakistani senior official applauds development of Gwadar Port under CPEC
SHOOTING TIME: May 30, 2024
DATELINE: June 1, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:23
LOCATION: Islamabad
CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Gwadar
2. SOUNDBITE (English): AHSAN IQBAL, Pakistani Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives

STORYLINE:

SOUNDBITE (English): AHSAN IQBAL, Pakistani Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives
"I would say that Gwadar is a very important and strategic port in this region.
I think China has shown its remarkable contribution in the development of different regions of Pakistan, including Gwadar under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). And in Gwadar, we have seen that China has not only developed the port facility but also has contributed towards socio-economic development of the people. China has set up state-of-the-art modern hospital for the people of Gwadar, who have as good facilities in that hospital as big cities like Karachi or Lahore. Similarly, it has helped set up a technical training institution. It has also helped poor people with solar panels to provide them with electricity, and has also undertaken other initiatives to improve the lives of the local people. So we really appreciate that China has contributed immensely to the uplift of Gwadar, but it is just the first steps. Gwadar Port has a long way to go. And I think in partnership with Gwadar, in partnership with China, we hope that Gwadar will become an internationally acclaimed world-class port city, which will have tremendous opportunities for its people. China has also given scholarships for the youth of Gwadar, who are studying in Chinese universities. So I think China's contribution in Gwadar has been very valuable, and uplifting the lives of people in the region. And we appreciate very much.
We appreciate that China is sharing its success, not just with Pakistan, but with other countries also to help them improve their infrastructure to help them improve their socio-economic development."

Launched in 2013, the CPEC, a flagship project of the China-proposed BRI, is a corridor linking the Gwadar Port in Pakistan with Kashgar in China's Xinjiang, highlighting energy, transport, and industrial cooperation in the first phase, while in the new phase expanding to fields such as agriculture and livelihood, among others.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Islamabad.
(XHTV)