ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that Turkey is welcome to join the China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Interacting with the media persons in Ankara, Turkey on Friday, he said Central Asian states and Turkey could together bring a boost to the CPEC. He said our future vision focuses on establishing linkages with the Central Asian republics from Khunjerab to China to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
The prime minister said that during his meeting with Turkish president, wide ranging issues including Syria, Russia, Daesh, Free Trade Agreement and enhancing economic cooperation came under discussion. He said a major development was unfolding with regards to Turkey-Pakistan cooperation.
To a question, Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan is a well-wisher of Afghanistan and wants stability and peace there.
A peaceful Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan and the region. He said feasibility work is in underway on Peshawar-Kabul motorway while over sixty percent development work has been completed on Peshawar-Jalalabad highway.
Turning to internal situation, Nawaz Sharif said there is a marked difference in load shedding between 2013 and 2017. Long power outages have immensely decreased and the industrial sector is being provided electricity without any outages.
He said motorway was built in 1998 and needed repair after 10 years, but unfortunately no attention was given to its maintenance. He added, “In 2013 we then started to take care of this project. Work on 13 motorways projects is under way at a cost of Rs 1100 billion.”
In response to a question regarding irresponsible reporting by media regarding unfound terrorist blast incidents, the prime minister said that it is extremely positive that discussions against such irresponsible reporting have started from within the media as self-accountability is the best way forward.
