UrbanEyes is actively involved in China outbound projects, and one was recently unveiled in Dawn which is the largest and oldest English-language newspaper in Pakistan and the country’s newspaper of record. The article was published on 26 September 2021 in which the federal government was quoted in calling the project to rebuild Karachi’s coastline under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a “game-changer”.
KARACHI: Calling it a “game-changer”, the federal government on Saturday unveiled an ambitious plan to rebuild Karachi’s coastline under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The Karachi Coastal Comprehensive Development Zone (KCCDZ) — spread on the western backwaters marsh land of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) — is an initiative of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.
The KCCDZ is the latest addition to CPEC projects aimed at providing Karachi with an ultra modern urban infrastructure zone, placing it among the top port cities of the world.
The announcement came from the top when a key member of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s cabinet shared some details of the project and claimed it carried “enormous potential for global investors as well”.
"Believe me it’s a huge thing for Pakistan. It’s something massive. It would bring multifold advantages to Pakistan’s maritime economy and further strengthen our coastal development", said Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Zaidi while speaking to Dawn.
He said after assuming the office as the minister for maritime affairs he vigorously looked for the opportunity for the KCCDZ and made all-out efforts to include it in the CPEC projects. For this purpose, he added, he consulted a number of Chinese companies, investors and officials of the neighbouring country and his efforts finally yielded results.
Earlier, the federal minister shared the “monumental decision” on a social media platform, coming up with sketchy details of the KCCDZ.
"A monumental decision was taken during the 10th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) on CPEC, held on 23rd September 2021 at Islamabad and Beijing," Mr Zaidi tweeted while sharing a formal statement of the announcement.
"The two countries agreed to include KCCDZ under the CPEC framework. KCCDZ, an initiative of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs focuses on providing Karachi with an ultra modern urban infrastructure zone, placing Karachi amongst the top port cities of the world.“
The minister also shared animated and picturesque images of a developed KCCDZ. He claimed all the developments would take place over “reclaimed area of the KPT”.
"Developed on reclaimed area on the Western backwaters marsh land of KPT, KCCDZ will be a flagship project for not only Pakistan but the entire region," the statement claimed.
The statement claimed KCCDZ would unlock “Pakistan’s unexplored Blue Economy and significantly enhance development and industrial cooperation between the two brotherly countries. The KCCDZ is a game-changer for Pakistan”.
