Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Saturday said the Multan-Sukkur (M5) motorway was yet another symbol of Pakistan-China cooperation and friendship and a testimony to the fact the shared vision of greater economic activity in the region was turning into a reality.

The Prime Minister was addressing a gathering of Chinese and Pakistani engineers at Multan-Shujabad Interchange at Shujabad, 35 kilometers off here, after inaugurating the first 36-kilometre segment of 392-km Multan-Sukkur motorway.

Chinese ambassador in Pakistan Yao Jing, and officials of National Highway Authority (NHA) were also present.

The Prime Minister said that the project was an exposition of Chinese President Xi Jinping's vision for greater economic activity in the region. He added that it was the vision, shared by PML-N supreme leader and former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and the Chinese President which was now developing into a reality.

It was also PML-N leadership's vision that Karachi would be linked to Peshawar through motorways by 2020, the PM said, adding: “In 2020, you will not get down from motorway when you travel from Karachi to Peshawar.”

PM Abbasi said it was a privilege to inaugurate the first segment of M5 Multan-Sukkur motorway and thanked the Government of China, the Bank of China and the state owned Chinese construction company.

The Prime Minister said that country was facing acute shortage of gas and suffering from electricity shortfall when PML-N government took over in 2013. The PML-N government added 10,400 Megawatt of power to the national grid and managed to import surplus gas which was enough to meet the domestic and industrial requirements of the country, he added.

He said the PML-N government focused on three key points in designing and execution of its mega projects which included economic viability, meeting international environmental standards and transparency.

Speaking on the occasion, Chinese ambassador in Pakistan Yao Jing declared completion of first segment of M5 motorway as 'a good job done' by Chinese and Pakistani engineers.

He said it showed that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was developing into a reality and highlighted a new level of cooperation and friendship between China and Pakistan.

APP