New optical fibre cable operationalised from Khunjrab to Islamabad under CPEC: Asim Bajwa

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, retired Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa on Sunday announced that a new optical fibre cable had been operationalised from Khunjrab to Islamabad under the China Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The premier's aide made the announcement on Twitter and said that the next phase of the cable would be laid from Islamabad to Karachi and Islamabad to Gwadar as part of a digital highway plan.

Moreover, Lt Gen Bajwa said that the foundation for the digital and Information Technology revolution project was being processed in conjunction with China.

'Power projects to generate 8,000 jobs'

Earlier, on Friday, Lt Gen Bajwa had said that the Kohala Power and Azad Pattan power projects will generate 8,000 jobs and an investment of $4 billion over the years.

Also read: Kohala, Azad Pattan power projects to generate 8,000 jobs: SAPM Bajwa

Lt Gen Bajwa said that Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, and CEOs of China Three Gorges Corporation (CTGC) and China Gezhouba visited him separately to thank the CPEC Authority for helping realise the projects and further improve coordination for the execution of it.

Azad Pattan hydel project

Earlier this week, Pakistan and China had signed an agreement for the construction of the Azad Pattan hydel power project as part of the CPEC project.

PM Imran had witnessed the signing of the agreement with China Gezhouba at a ceremony in Islamabad. With an investment of 1.5 billion dollars and 700.7 megawatts of electricity, the Azad Pattan project will involve no fuel import, enabling the country to move towards cheaper and greener power generation while creating local job opportunities.

The project is located at River Jhelum roughly 7km upstream of Azad Pattan Bridge in the Sudhanoti District of Azad Kashmir and is expected to be completed in 2026.

Last month, a tripartite agreement was signed between a Chinese company and the governments of Pakistan and China for the construction of a 1,124-megawatt hydropower project in Kohala costing $2.4 billion.

The hydropower plant, being built on Jhelum River in AJK under CPEC, has been awarded to Kohala Hydropower Company Ltd (KHCL), which is a subsidiary of China Three Gorges Corporation (CTGC).