Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said that the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will open a new era of economic transformation, employment generation, and inclusive development in Pakistan.
Speaking to media in Beijing after the 14th meeting of the Pakistan-China Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), he expressed confidence that the next decade under CPEC Phase-II will bring structural reforms, strengthen Pakistan’s economy, and improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
Ahsan Iqbal highlighted that the second phase focuses on modernising agriculture, boosting industrial cooperation, forging technology partnerships, and deepening people-to-people exchanges. He said CPEC Phase-II has been designed around five key corridors: Growth, Livelihood, Innovation, Green, and Regional Connectivity.
He stressed that the roadmap for CPEC 2.0 is people-centric and will create opportunities in future skills such as IT, robotics, fintech, and biotechnology. Climate-smart agriculture projects will also be introduced to ensure sustainable development.
The minister further announced that work will begin immediately on the Karakoram Highway Phase-II realignment, while a mineral corridor in Balochistan will connect Gwadar to northern mineral-rich regions, enhancing the port’s commercial viability.
He assured that Pakistan is committed to providing full security for Chinese workers and projects, stressing that Pakistan China friendship is based on trust and will not be shaken by any foreign-backed attempts to derail cooperation.
