BEIJING, Oct 3 (INP): Ahead of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s forthcoming visit to China, Pakistan Ambassador Ms. Naghmana Alamgir Hashmi reassured that there will be no delay in the implementation of CPEC’s projects.

She said, there is absolutely no deliberate delay in completing any of the CPEC’s projects, this is totally wrong impression that the implementation process of CPEC is being slow-downed.

All CPEC’s projects have the full support and backing of the government and the people of Pakistan, besides all the political parties across the political divide, she said in an interview with China Economic Net (CEN).

So there should be no confusion or controversy, either about the importance of CPEC or their timely implementation. In fact, some of the projects have been completed even well before time.

Prime Minister Imran Khan twice met President Xi Jinping and conveyed him very clear and categorically that his government’s importance to CPEC and to BRI is absolute and unshakable.

During the interview, the ambassador deliberated upon some hot economic topics including Free Trade Agreement;s ratification, Sukkur-Multan motorway’s operation and export of Pakistani products to China.

About the reported delay in the operation of Sukkur-Multan motorway, Naghmana Hashmi said it is a huge one which has already been completed. The delay in its operation is not alarming, as along with this highway, there are certain other things that need to be established. For example, the barriers along the road have to be put in place. That work is ongoing. The lights have to be put. The police force for that particular highway is being raised.

She reiterated that by no way the operation of project is being delayed. In fact, work and the commitment to have this operational as soon as possible are going on full steam.

“We will work together and we will make sure that both the people of Pakistan and the people of China explore, enjoy and work hard to realize the full potential of CPEC and the full potential of BRI for the social, economic development and benefit of the people of both countries,” she remarked.

About the export of Pakistani Mango to China, the ambassador hoped that one day Pakistani mangoes would be available in supermarkets all over China.

About its price, she hoped, China will help to reduce the price of our agriculture products, particularly mango and other delicate fruit by having joint ventures with the Pakistani growers and exporters on the farm to get the same at reasonable price. She was of the view that there is a rich potential of importing fruit and vegetable in China.

Naghmana Hashmi pointed out 2nd phase of free trade agreement will hopefully be implemented shortly. Currently, it is going through the internal processes of being ratified.

We hope that in the next few months, it will become operational. She was confident that with the FTA becoming operational, the prices of various products will go down, because of lifting of certain import duties.

Pakistan, China, she said are now in the process of completing the first phase of CPEC and the second phase of CPEC has now started, under which special economic zones will be established in various parts of the country.

So with the establishment of these special zones and with the increasing number of agreements and cooperation in the agricultural sector, the businessmen of the two countries will get ample opportunities to upgrade their trade’s activities.

Enhancing the bilateral trade is a priority of both President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Imran Khan, she added.

She contended that there is huge potential of investments and growth in the agriculture sector that will get boost with the implementation of FTA.

Replaying to a question about the issuance of visa to the Chinese investors, she said Online and on-arrival visa’s facility has been provided to them, so there should be no problem to this effect.

The government of Pakistan, she said liberalizing the visa’s facility for the Chinese businessmen. China is one of the first countries with which we’ve liberalized visa regime.

About the registration of cell phones, she said she would like to tell the Chinese friends going to Pakistan that there are big booths at the airports where they could register their phone to get their SIM working.