'Motorway of friendship': CSCEC's Peshawar-Karachi Motorway inaugurated

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The motorway in April 2019. [Photo courtesy of CSCEC]

Road of friendship for strengthened people-to-people ties

In implementing the principle of "extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits" of the Belt and Road Initiative, the PKM project attaches great importance to cooperation with local enterprises, including joint development of borrow pits and quarries and renting of equipment locally. Construction materials such as earth and stone, diesel, steel, and cement were all procured locally to drive local industries. During the peak construction period, more than 28,900 local workers, equipment operators, and management personnel were employed.

The CSCEC team also invited a vocational training organization in Karachi to provide standardized training to local employees. Local farmers were trained to become skilled technicians. Dozens of asphalt pavers, road rollers, and dump trucks working on the project were almost exclusively operated by Pakistani employees.

Amar, a commercial consultant of the project, said, "The PKM project has provided us with valuable employment opportunities, and is our second home."

According to him, more than 6,800 local farmers have become skilled equipment operators and project management personnel. "They have become modern engineering and technical personnel in Pakistan," Amar added.

While providing a large number of jobs, the project adhered to the philosophy of "one road, one family" and actively fulfilled its social responsibility, according to the CSCEC team. The team built up 800 kilometers of service roads, 15 bridges, 50 wells, over 200 canals for villages along the motorway. It constructed 920 underpasses and culverts, totaling 40 kilometers in length, to protect local ecology and environment. The team established and renovated schools along the motorway, and organized medical teams to provide free medical services to more than 1,000 villagers. They were also active in emergency and disaster relief and other accident rescues.