May 17, 2022: Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said that the development projects in Gwadar under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be resumed in the same spirit as in 2013 and all issues will be resolved amicably.

Speaking at the University of Gwadar on a day visit, the Minister said the development of the country is linked with the development of Gwadar which is the gateway to South Asia. He said that the incumbent Government has taken several initiatives to make the CPEC projects successfully in Gwadar.

The Minister said that the previous government tried to make CPEC controversial. However, the current government has been spending on the people along with development projects. CPEC projects are among the priorities of the current government.

The Minister said that the last time he came to Gwadar four years back and inaugurated several projects but unfortunately, the previous government deliberately delayed them.

The Minister further said that higher education is a top priority of the government and several initiatives were taken in 2013 for Higher Education in Gwadar.

Efforts are being made to complete the campus of the university in the next 2-3 years.  We will make this university centre of excellence. The region of Balochistan has a key position, said the Minister, adding that prejudice can be countered by imparting more education in the society.

Professor Ahsan also said that differences need to be resolved through dialogue and not through violence as progress in the world is possible only through knowledge, research and exploration.  In 2017, the process of building new dams was started in Gwadar but due to the negligence of the previous government, it is delayed.

 The Islamabad Metro project was unnecessarily delayed for four years. Transmission line projects in Gwadar will be completed soon. Hospitals in Gwadar will be upgraded as well, he added. Furthermore, he said that more scholarships will be awarded to the students of Gwadar.

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