CPEC and Gwadar deep sea port to change face of pakistan
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is fast becoming life line for Pakistan. The size of the CPEC has been increased to more than $55 billion after China agreed to upgrade the main railway line from Karachi to Peshawar at a cost of $8 billion.
Major portion of CPEC program will be spent on energy projects to ensure Pakistan enters new era in a bright and enlightened environment. Though the whole of Pakistan and each and every individual of this country will benefit from CPEC many major and less developed areas of Pakistan will be direct beneficiaries of the economic activity generated by this project.
From Khanjerab to Gwadar three main routes will connect the whole of Pakistan to CPEC. These corridors are Western Route, Eastern Route and Central Route. Western route among others may pass through Sust-Gilgit-Batagram-Mansehra-Abbotabad-Kala Bagh Hassn Abdal-D.I.Khan-Zhob-Qilla Saifullah-Quetta-Sorab-Bisma-Hosab-Turbat- and Gwadar.
Eastern Route among others is likely to cover Sust-Gilgit-Bataagram-Mansehra-Abbotabad-M2 to Hassan Abdal-Faisalabad-Multan-Sukkar-Shadad Kot-Khuzdar-Basima-Hosab-Turbat- and Gwadar. Multan to Lahore and then M2 is also included in Eastern route.
Central Route may find its way, inter alia, from Sust-Gilgit-Batagram-Mansehra-Abbotabad-Hassan Abdal-Mianwali-Layyah-D.G Khan-Jacob Abad-Ratho dero-Khuzdar-Basima-Hosab-Turbat- to Gwadar.
These routes are not mere roads linking different cities to the Gwadar Free Zone and deep sea port, they will open new vista of economic opportunities to the locals and others in the region. Many special economic zones and tax free zones can be set up on these routes which will create a number of jobs and give impetus to the much awaited double digit GDP growth of Pakistan.
Unfolding of CPEC benefits can reverse the brain drainage of Pakistan i.e., not only those who left Pakistan due to non-availability of job opportunities may return to find this country more lucrative, but also many highly qualified foreigners will reap economic incentives of CPEC.
Throughput of Karachi port and Port Muhammad bin Qasim is not enough to handle shipping activities of Pakistan. This efficiency will come through Gwadar deep sea port and the designated western, eastern and central routes of CPEC.
To facilitate trade through Gwadar Port a full-fledged Model Customs Collectorate was notified by the Government of Pakistan in 2007 which became fully functional in 2011. This Collectorate is the guardian of 640 kilometers coastline of Balochistan, 350 km of Pak-Iran border and almost 100,000 square kilometers of the province.
Establishment of a Customs Collectorate in Gwadar is bearing fruit and tax compliance in this area has gone up massively; rather growth wise it might have been the best in Pakistan when we look at the revenue figures of the collectorate.
Looking at the unfolding benefits of CPEC, we can say, the dream of every Pakistani to be recognized as a respected citizen of Pakistan in the world is coming true. We are rightly pinning our hopes on the success of CPEC and looking forward to the days when prosperity, liveliness, pride, attraction, solace and peace will replacepoverty, chronic stream of worries, despondency, extremism and terrorism in Pakistan.