ISLAMABAD -  The business community has showed great concerns over some efforts to create controversies about CPEC project and termed it an unwise approach as any disturbance to this historic project would prove a big setback to the economy.

Addressing the meeting held at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Khalid Iqbal Malik, ICCI president, said that enhancing cooperation between Pakistan and China under CPEC would give boost especially to small and medium enterprises in Pakistan through joint ventures between the entrepreneurs of both countries. He said timely execution and completion of this project would also help modernize our SMEs through technology transfer and sharing of expertise.

He said after the signing of this game changer project, increasing number of foreign delegations were visiting our Chamber and showing keen interest for joint ventures and investment in this project. He cautioned that creating any doubts about this flagship project would discourage prospective investors and prove harmful for the country. He stressed that all stakeholders should keep the national interest supreme and avoid creating any unnecessary controversies about CPEC.

The businessmen were of the view that CPEC offered enormous opportunities for industry-led economic growth of Pakistan and government should give enhanced role to the private sector for its completion. They said CPEC was expected to open new doors of cooperation in multiple sectors including industry, agriculture, energy and infrastructure development between Pakistan and China as well as investors of other countries.

They urged that complete consensus among all stakeholders was the need of the hour to turn this huge project into reality as it would ultimately fetch multiple benefits for our country in the form of improving Pakistan’s connectivity with China and other regional countries, uplifting people’s living standard, accelerating growth of SMEs and fostering our trade and economic cooperation.

NNI adds: President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), Mian Zahid Hussain said that CPEC should be kept insulated from the tensions between Pakistan and India.

He also called for enhanced participation of the local industry in the CPEC to ensure industrial expansion. Mian Zahid Hussain said that it is difficult to count the benefits of the economic corridor therefore government should leave no stone unturned to ensure its smooth flow.

He said that sectors like cement, steel and financial sectors are set to get benefit from the project but other sectors should also be involved while heavy investment should be made in the relevant sectors for smooth functioning.

CPEC can benefit hundreds of industries of the country which can result in industrial expansion, revenue generation and matchless employment opportunities, he said. He added that unmatched demand will not only allow full utilization of the existing manufacturing potential, but will also encourage many manufacturers to increase their production capacity which will be in the national interest.

The project will generate at least seven hundred thousand jobs while boost GDP by 2 to 2.5 percent therefore it should get preference over all other issues and government should try to foil all the conspiracies against it.

Mian Zahid Hussain said that the project will not benefit one province but whole Pakistan and it will transform Pakistan into a regional market unveiling uncountable opportunities.