ISLAMABAD, 27 MAY (DNA) – The major portion of the China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) transportation infrastructure projects’ investment would go to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, wherein as many as $3.825 billion would be spent on development of various infrastructure projects.

As many as $ 3.020 billion would be spent on the major portion of Karokaram Highway Phase-II (from Raikot to Islamabad), followed by an investment of $ 730 million on construction of a portion of expansion and reconstruction of existing main railway line ML-1, official sources said.

A sum of $ 35 million would be spent on major portion of Cross-border Optical Fiber Cable while $ 40 million would be spent on establishment of Havelian Dry Port.

The next major beneficiary of the CPEC infrastructure would be Punjab provinces, wherein $ 3.739 billion would be utilized for various projects.

A sum of $ 1.790 billion would be spent for construction of a portion of Sukkur-Multan of Peshawar-Karachi Motorway while $ 1.460 billion have been estimated cost of a portion of expansion and reconstruction of existing main railway line (ML-1).

Similarly, $ 480 million would be utilized for construction of small portion of Railkot-Islamabad Highway and $ 9 million for Cross Border Optical fiber Cable. In Sindh, $ 2.260 million would be utilized for transport infrastructure projects, out of which $ 1.460 billion would be spent on expansion and reconstruction of a portion of existing Line ML-1.

An amount of $ 800 million would be spent on construction of a portion of Sukkur-Multan Section of Karachi Lahore Motorway (KLM). About $ 793 million would be spent on 8 transport infrastructure projects of Balochistan province.

As many as $ 130 million would be spent on necessary facility of fresh water treatment and supply, $ 100 million for establishment of a hospital at Gwadar, $ 230 million for construction of Gawadar International Airport and $ 141 million for establishment of Eastbay Expressway.

Similarly, $ 123 million would be spent on construction of breakwaters, $ 27 million for dredging of berthing areas and channels, $ 32 million for infrastructure for Free Zone and EPZs-port related industries and $ 10 million for technical and vocational institute at Gwadar.

It is pertinent to mention here that CPEC is a long-term broad framework with multiple sectoral projects, which will be completed in different phases through bilateral agreements agreed upon by both sides as a win-win equation.

Pakistan and China had signed an agreement last year to commence work on CPEC development projects worth over $46 billion. The corridor aims to connect Gwadar port in Balochistan to China’s Xinjiang region via a network of highways, railways and pipelines spread over 3,000 KM. Work on several sections is in progress. DNA