Govt taking steps to promote cooperation with Chinese companies: PM

ISLAMABAD, July 27: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the government is taking serious steps to promote cooperation with the Chinese companies to attract investment.
Talking to a Chinese delegation led by President of Shanghai Electric Liu Ping, the Prime Minister said all necessary steps are also being taken for the protection of workers and engineers of the Chinese companies.
The Prime Minister noted that China Pakistan Economic Corridor project is playing an important role in the development of Pakistan and welfare of its people. Expressing his gratitude to the Chinese leadership for extending support to Pakistan in every difficult hour, Shehbaz Sharif said the Chinese cooperation and investment has helped improve infrastructure and public transport system besides addressing the electricity crisis to a great extent. The prime minister expressed these views in a meeting with a Chinese delegation led by the President of Shanghai Electric Liu Ping. The meeting was also attended by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan, Minister of State for Petroleum Dr. Mussadak Malik, Special Assistants Zafaruddin Mahmood, Dr. Jahanzeb Khan, and senior officials.
PM Sharif said the entire nation was grateful to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership for helping Pakistan in difficult times. He said the Chinese cooperation and investment to a greater extent led to improved development in Pakistan’s infrastructure, public transport, and power crisis. He assured necessary steps to ensure the security of engineers and staffers of Chinese companies working in Pakistan. He regretted that Thar Coal Power Project, which was supposed to be completed a long time ago, was deliberately stalled by the incompetent government of prime minister Imran Khan. With its completion, the project would generate 1,320 MW of electricity from local coal, he added. For early completion of Thar Coal Project by Shanghai Electric, the prime minister tasked the responsibility of assistance to Special Representative Zafaruddin Mehmood and Additional Secretary Nadeem Chaudhry. NNI