Belt and Road Initiative is most promising connectivity program in human history: Pakistani expert

By Ding Xuezhen, People’s Daily

Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the most promising trade, business and people-to-people connectivity program, said a Pakistani expert, who also pledged his country’s more active engagement in the Belt and Road construction.

“The Belt and Road construction will change the face of humanity to more beauty and happiness, ” added Dostain Khan Jamaldini, former chairman of Gwadar Port Authority. The deep-sea port situated in southwest Pakistan is a major and pilot project under BRI framework.

Jamaldini told the People’s Daily that it is a very challenging and difficult task to develop Gwadar Port, Gwadar Free Zone and the city itself.

“Year 2015, when in the month of April, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Pakistan, we signed memorandum of understanding (MoUs) and project agreements,” said the former chairman, adding that in subsequent years major things started happening.

Constructors from both countries brought significant changes to the port by upgrading its facilities and starting the first container liner connecting the port with other ports. It also witnessed increasingly more business centers, visiting delegations and smooth construction of industrial plants in free zone.

“Pakistan and China have now set the stage for construction of the Future City of the World: Gwadar.” he said. “We are planning to develop Gwadar as a ‘Smart Port City’ with smart people and smart systems.”

The rapid growth of the port has increased confidence of not only local and Chinese investors, but also from other countries, said Jamaldini, who is pleased at more countries’ interests in investing in the port.

Visiting China dozens of times, Jamaldini is impressed by the rapid growth of China’s comprehensive national strength as well as its development in culture, science and technology.

“From this emerges the Chinese innovation, which has not only revolutionised Chinese society but its soft and hard product creation is bringing efficiency and effectiveness. This Chinese innovation has made China highly competitive.” the official noted.

Pakistan learns a lot from Chinese efforts, Jamaldini pointed out, citing its policies in poverty alleviation, environment protection, and industrial development. In the eyes of the former chairman, Gwadar Port can borrow successful experience from the development process of China’s coastal cities.

Describing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a major and pilot project of BRI and a long-term development program for Pakistan, he pointed out that after completion of road and rail linkages, energy projects and other infrastructure programs, construction of special economic zones will be given more weight to facilitate industrial cooperation.

Photo taken is Gwadar Port in southwest Pakistan. After being listed as a major and pilot project of China-Pakistan cooperation under the Belt and Road framework in February 2014, the port has braced for unprecedented growth opportunities and increasing business potential. The improved facilities have made the previous fishing village into an international port and investment hot-spot. (Photo by Meng Xianglin from People’s Daily)