China has conferred awards to 18 Pakistani staffers working on CPEC projects recognizing their outstanding services, professional expertise and strenuous contribution in making CPEC a tangible reality and helping Pak-China relations stronger & sustainable despite all odds and challenges especially COVID-19 Pandemic. Awardees belong to projects pertaining to Gwadar Port, energy, infrastructure and other fields of the CPEC construction.

 

During online-award ceremony organized by Chinese Embassy in Islamabad, Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Nong Rong, CPEC Authority Chairman Asif Saleem Bajwa congratulated 18 awardees and urged them to keep anchoring their roles in perpetuity.      

 

On the occasion, Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong said “in 2020 there is no stop of the construction, no job cut, no withdrawal of workforce of the CPEC projects.”   

 

“Many Chinese workers have overcome difficulties and stayed in their posts in Pakistan. Each of the hard earned achievements are the results of the sweat and joint efforts of both sides. We have written a new and touching chapter of China-Pakistan friendship through our cooperation,” he added.   

 

In this year, he said that the CPEC projects have achieved major progress despite the adversity challenge brought by COVID-19 pandemic. “It has supported Pakistan’s drive in the fighting against COVID-19, ensuring economic stability, and well-being of the people. It has also continued to train high-quality talents for the country,” he opined.  

 

“We are pleased to see that during the Covid-19, CEPC energy projects have provided one third of power supply across Pakistan. The focus for energy cooperation has been shifted from addressing power shortage to its structural adjustments. The Mertiari to Lahore HVDC Transmission Line Project has been completed. The Power Purchase Agreements of green and clean energy projects such as Kohala Hydropower and Patan Hydropower have been signed. With the completion of upgrade of KKH Phase-II, the China-Pakistan friendship highway, the transportation network for north-western Pakistan has been improved. In Lahore, the operation of the Orange Line project has brought Pakistan into a metro era. There has been increase of port handling capacity in Gwadar Port. The transit trade for Afghan goods through Gwadar Port has been officially launched, helped the sustainable supply of daily necessities for people of Pakistan and Afghanistan during COVID-19 period. China and Pakistan further promoted industrial cooperation with the signing of the Development Agreement of Rashakai Economic Zone. We have also completed a number of environment-friendly social economic projects such as the expansion work of Faqur School in Gwadar, China-Pakistan Friendship Forest, aid of disaster relief facilities, donation of cold-chain vaccine storage and transportation equipment in a timely manner,” he explained. “It is fair to say that both sides have overcome the difficulties of the COVID-19 and made new head ways of cooperation in a coordinated way,” he added.   

 

Due to COVID-19, we have to hold an on-line ceremony this year. Thank you Mr. Asim Bajwa, Chairman CPEC Authority for attending today’s ceremony and gave warm remarks.

 

“As we all know, CPEC is an important pilot project of the Belt and Road Initiative and a demonstration project of China-Pakistan cooperation. It is significant to deepen China- Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership for the building a closer community of shared future, and the realization of high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative,” he mentioned.   

 

Chinese Envoy said that during the past 5 years since President Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan, the CPEC has achieved great success and made tremendous contributions to the development of Pakistan and regional connectivity under the joint efforts of the governments, enterprises, and all walks of life from both countries. “Based on consensus of both governments, we further expand the CEPC cooperation from Gwadar Port, energy, infrastructure development and industrial cooperation to new areas of agriculture, science and technology, social economy and international cooperation,” he added.   

 

He said that as President Xi Jinping said, China will work with its partners to develop the Belt and Road into a model of cooperation for meeting challenges through unity, a model of health for protecting people's safety and well-being, a model of recovery for restoring economic and social activity, and a model of growth for unlocking development potential.  

 

After overcome the challenge of COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan can find more solid ground on Belt and Road cooperation. We are more motivated in furthering the CPEC, and the prospects of our all-around cooperation have been further widened, he stated.   

 

In the next stage, we will work with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by leaders of our two countries, making more coordination of CPEC cooperation with “Naya Pakistan” Initiative.  

 

CPEC Authority Chairman Asim Saleem Bajwa said “This goes without any doubt that our economic future are interlinked forever,” He said that CPEC has become now household in Pakistan and all Pakistanis are in romance with concept of CPEC. “First phase of CPEC was meant to fill all voids in infrastructure and energy. We can see all fruits and impacts. For common Pakistan it is game changer because it bring jobs, it bring business, prosperity and soci-economic development across country,”   

 

“History of CPEC is very old. From Karakorum Highway to Gwadar Port and multiple diverse projects are various chapters of CPEC from past till today. All glitches and issues existing in projects have amicably been addressed. COVID-19 Could not affect CPEC progress. Phase II is going to meet vision of both country leadership,” he mentioned.  

 

18 awardees are Adil Ashraf of Three Gorges Second Wing Power Project, Asdullah Larik of Thar Coal Block-1 Power Project, Asif Ali Unar of China Power Hub 2x66 MW Coal-Fired Power Project, Asif Majeed of Kohala Hydropower Project, Danish Haseeb Khan of Suki Kinari Hydropower Project, Faisal Bashir of Port Qasim 2x660 MW Coal-Fired Power Project, Girdhari of Thar Coal Block-II Mining Project Phase II Expansion, Hamid Ali of Karot Hydropower Project, Manzoor Ali of Khar Coal Block-II Power Project Phase I O&M and Phase II Expansion, Mohammad Nouman of Lahore Orange Line Project, Muhammad Muneeb of Sahiwal 2x600 MW Coal-Fired Power Project, Nadeem Ali of Thar Coal power Block-II project, Nirdosh Kumar of Thar Coal Block-II Power Project Phase II, Syed Muhammad Hussain Imam of Gwadar Port Project, Tasneem Hussain of Lahore Orange Line Project, Usman Riaz of Peshawar-Karachi Motorway (Multan Sukkur Section), Waseem Akram of Matiari to Lahore HVDC transmission Line Project and Ziauddin Memon of UEP 100MW Wind Power Project.