PESHAWAR, 06 MAY (DNA) – Terming the China Pakistan Economic Corridor Project (CPEC) a game changer for Pakistan, noted intellectual and expert on CPEC, Prof Dr Naushad Khan has said this project would change the security paradigm of the region by making Pakistan’s western and eastern borders safe from external threats.

Addressing a seminar on ‘CPEC myth and reality’ organized by Ministry of Planning, Development and National Reforms, Islamabad and Islamia College Peshawar (ICP) here, Dr Naushad who is the head of Pakistan Studies Department ICP said CPEC was not a myth but a strong reality carrying immense importance for all sectors including economic development, energy and security perspective.

This national project, he said would change security paradigm of the region. Pakistan would make a lead role in the security, trade and economy of the region once the Gawadar sea port was operational and the grave problem of energy shortfall was addressed, he added.

By linking Kashgar with Gwadar port through a network of roads and railway lines, CPEC project has the potential to inject new life into the region’s economies. The CPEC project would not only help Pakistan and China but other countries in South and Central Asia as well, he added.

Dr Naushad said Balochistan and KP would be largely benefited from this mega project of $46 billion direct foreign investment and less developed areas of these regions would come at par with developed parts of the country.

The project would help Pakistan’s investment-starved economy besides bringing massive improvement in the KP ramshackle transport, economy and energy infrastructure. The operationalization of Gwadar port will make Pakistan to emerge as a regional transhipment hub thus will directly benefit KP and Balochistan.

He said that Pakistan was geographically located on an ideal location that links landlocked Central Asian Republics (CARs), South Asia and China and this prime advantage could effectively be utilized through enhanced regional connectivity for which CPEC is of immense importance.

With completion of CPEC, the distance and space would be reduced and economic and trade activities would get upward boom.

Dr Naushad said national cohesion necessary for CPEC could be achieved through uniformed education system and urged Ministry of Planning and Development to include CPEC in the curriculum besides increasing the marks of Pakistan Studies subjects in the examination. DNA