CPEC & Major Development Projects in Pakistan

Allama Iqbal Industrial City in Faisalabad is a priority SEZ under CPEC. Spread over 3,000 acres, it is designed to house industries related to textiles, pharmaceuticals, food processing, and chemicals, creating thousands of jobs in the region.

The Matiari-Lahore HVDC line is a CPEC project that transmits power from coal and hydro plants in the south to the load centers in the north. HVDC technology is more efficient for long-distance transmission, reducing line losses significantly.

The Reko Diq project in Balochistan is one of the world's largest undeveloped copper and gold deposits. In 2023-2024, the project was revitalized through an agreement with Barrick Gold of Canada, with the Government of Pakistan and Balochistan holding significant shares.

The Khunjerab Pass, the world's highest paved border crossing, has traditionally been closed in winter. In 2024, agreements were reached to keep the pass open for longer periods or year-round to facilitate continuous trade under the CPEC framework.

The Dhabeji SEZ is located in Thatta, Sindh, near the Port Qasim and Karachi Port. It is designed to facilitate export-oriented industries by providing easy access to the country's main maritime gateways.

As part of its railway modernization efforts, Pakistan has imported high-speed passenger coaches and freight wagons from China. This technology transfer also includes local manufacturing of these coaches at the Pakistan Railways Carriage Factory in Islamabad.

The Gwadar Free Zone is being developed in two main phases. Phase I (North) covers about 60 acres, while Phase II (South) is much larger at approximately 2,200 acres. It offers tax holidays and duty-free incentives to attract manufacturing and processing industries.

Diamer-Bhasha Dam is a vital national project for water storage and power generation. Located on the Indus River, it will have a live storage capacity of 6.4 million acre-feet (MAF) and provide clean energy while extending the life of Tarbela Dam.

The MoITT is the lead ministry for the 'Digital Pakistan' vision. It oversees the rollout of the E-Office system across federal ministries to ensure transparency and efficiency, as well as the expansion of broadband and software exports.

The M-14 Motorway is a key part of CPEC's Western Alignment. It connects the M-1 at Hakla to Yarik in Dera Ismail Khan, providing a shorter and more efficient route through the less-developed regions of Punjab and KPK toward Balochistan.

K-2 and K-3 are two large-scale nuclear power plants at the Karachi Nuclear Power Complex (KANUPP). Each has a capacity of 1,100 MW and uses Hualong One technology. They are crucial for providing clean, baseload power to the national grid.

The SIFC conducted its first major international roadshow in the UAE to pitch projects in agriculture, mining, and IT to Gulf investors. This resulted in several MoUs and investment commitments from UAE-based entities.

CASA-1000 (Central Asia-South Asia power project) is designed to transmit 1,300 MW of surplus hydroelectricity from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is a major regional energy connectivity project.

The Karakoram Highway (N-35) is famously known as the Friendship Highway. It is the highest paved international road in the world and serves as the backbone of the CPEC land route connecting Pakistan and China.

The Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan was developed with Chinese assistance. it focuses on creating a modern, sustainable city with high-tech infrastructure, desalination plants, and industrial zones to support the port's growth.

The Sahiwal Coal Power Plant was one of the first energy projects completed under CPEC. It was built in record time and uses supercritical technology to generate electricity more efficiently and with lower emissions.

The STZA was created to develop Special Technology Zones across the country. These zones offer tax incentives and specialized infrastructure to attract international technology companies and foster local innovation and software exports.

The Western Alignment route runs through the less-developed areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Balochistan. Projects like the Hakla-D.I. Khan motorway and roads through Zhob and Quetta are designed to bring economic development to these regions.

Following high-level visits in mid-2024, the UAE pledged $10 billion in investment for various sectors in Pakistan. This commitment reflects the strengthening economic ties and the success of the SIFC in attracting Gulf capital.

TAPI stands for Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India. It is a major regional project aimed at transporting natural gas from Turkmenistan's Galkynysh gas field to the energy-hungry markets of South Asia.