CPEC, a parallel world order focusing on economic cooperation and development - Masood Khan.

Islamabad -- Sardar Masood Khan, President Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is one of six main projects coming under the mega Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project. Comparing the BRI to the Marshall Plan, he said that this project is of considerable economic and strategic importance as this unparalleled transcontinental project will connect countries and continents; thereby, creating a parallel economic world focusing on economic cooperation and development. The President made these remarks while addressing a Q and A session organized by Islamabad Institute of Conflict Resolution (IICR) on "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and its impact on Societal Emancipation of Pakistan and Afghanistan". The session was moderated by Maj. Gen. (R) Raza Muhammad, member IICR Advisory Board. Masood Khan said that CPEC - a $62 billion spanning around 15 years project - comprises of ports, power generation plants and infrastructure development, which has now been made holistic and substantive with the addition of socio-economic development projects like skill development, employment and people to people contacts. '.The focus is not merely on Gawadar Port but Gawadar and every other city of Pakistan, skill development, improving our overall human resource capital and indexes. The CPEC has transformed into an organic relationship between two brotherly nations', he said.

The President said that there is an overwhelming national consensus on CPEC. 'All political leaders, political parties and stakeholders have been brought on board. The people of Balochistan are very optimistic for CPEC', he said while adding that India has been trying to jeopardize peace in Pakistan by carrying out proxy wars in not only Balochistan but other areas of the country. 'We have to brush aside these risks and stay the course', he said...