Second phase of CPEC to start with full deliberation: Asim Bajwa.

Taxila -- Chairman China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Lieutenant General (retired) Asim Saleem Bajwa said on Thursday that the second phase of CPEC is ready to commence with 'full deliberation and conscience transparency'.

Addressing a signing ceremony between the CPEC Authority and Chinese companies in Taxila, Chairman Bajwa said that there will be completely revamping of the railway structure of Pakistan during the second phase of the project.

'A new fully fenced railway track from Peshawar to Karachi of over 1,800 kilometres [would be laid], a dry port at Havelian and a new transmission system would also be built,' the chairman said. 'All railway crossings will be replaced by underpasses and overhead bridges.'

He added that efficiency and speed of railways would increase and revamped to make it profitable for Pakistan - approval for which was given last week.

'We are talking about creating special economic zones in each province, mass industrialisation, relocation of industries from China,' he said. 'The first three preferred zones have already been identified and we are very close to signing development agreements in KP and also progressing in Dhabeji.'

The chairman also said that the Heavy Mechanical Complex (HMC) would play an important role in the second phase as it would contribute to import substitution and reduce import of machinery. 'I request all the companies who are putting-up industries in special economic zones to talk to HMC and place their orders and get their machinery configured or re-configured as per their demands,' the chairman stressed.

The SEC, he elaborated, aims to provide employment to the youth of Pakistan.

'This is why the programme is already in the works to revamp our technical institutes so that we can bring the human recourse to full requirement of...