Key initiatives boost Pakistan ambitions

ISLAMABAD－Fazal Rahim has been working on Port Qasim Power Plant project for six years. The plant is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. During his time at the plant, Rahim has witnessed growth on both professional and personal levels.

"I was a fresh graduate when I started here, and now, six years later, I am a deputy director of a department. I was well-trained by Chinese employees who provided me with plenty of opportunities to excel."

Port Qasim created almost 10,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction. The operational phase employs about 600 local people.

"I know many people who found it hard to make ends meet, but after finding work at the plant, they are leading pretty good lives. Their kids go to nice schools and they eat better food. Some of them have even built houses. I can help my parents and pay for my younger brothers' education. I am financially stable and they get to study in good universities. Their future prospects are promising," he says.

Rahim and 26 other employees were recently given awards for their outstanding contributions to the CPEC project by the Chinese embassy in Pakistan. Investment has started pouring in the CPEC to special economic zones, and employment opportunities in sectors like agriculture and information technology are following, with the potential to offer a large number of new jobs to Pakistan's youth.

According to the embassy, the CPEC, an important pilot project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, has created 75,000 jobs in Pakistan since its launch in 2013, with more to come in the second phase.

Asad Umar, Pakistan's minister for planning, development and special initiatives, says the second phase of the CPEC was broadening. "We have added agriculture, and we have added science and technology－actual acceleration will be seen in phase two."

Pakistani employees say they are living the dream of working in world-class companies, learning every day from Chinese colleagues who are always ready to share their knowledge. The CPEC has greatly eased Pakistan's energy crisis and employed large numbers of people. The second phase holds promising prospects for a prosperous future.

"I have been working with Chinese for seven years and learned a lot about time management, scheduling and planning, which are important if we are going to get whatever we are working on completed in time," says Arsalan Khan, who won an award for his work at the Karot hydropower project.

Xinhua