CPEC may Regain Pace after Imran Khan Visit to Beijing

Islamabad: Islamabad expects that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would regain pace after Prime Minister Imran Khan visits Beijing next month with the signing of a framework agreement on industrial zones, progress on agricultural cooperation and the addition of a social sector joint working group.

A senior government official told Dawn news on Monday that Khan’s visit to China would reinvigorate the CPEC implementation that had slowed down over the past several months owing to the political transition in Pakistan. During the visit, the two sides would formally ink a framework agreement on industrial zones and set in motion on-ground development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) starting with Rashakai near Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They would also formally sign documents to include Social Sector Joint Working Group of the Joint Coordination Council (JCC) of the CPEC. He said officials from the two governments were currently in the process of sharing final documents. (IANS)