Outstanding Pakistani Staff in CPEC projects 2022 honored

Award winners' group photo with Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Ambassador Nong Rong. [Photo/Tahir Ali]

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 31 (Gwadar Pro) - The Chinese Embassy on Friday held an annual award ceremony for the outstanding Pakistani staff of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, on which occasion 34 Pakistanis staff of the CPEC projects received the award.

The winners are staff members of different CPEC projects including hydropower, transmission lines, online marketing, wind farm & wind power project, coal mining, civil engineering and construction of motorways, metro bus service, construction of SEZs, coal power plant, agriculture, and Gwadar Port.

Three representatives from Pakistani staff (award winners) delivered inspirational speeches and highlighted their learning and achievements while working in Chinese companies under Chinese experts.

Mir Arslan Ali, from Matiari to Lahore ±660kV HVDC Transmission Line Project said “I thank Chinese engineers who greatly helped us learning the HVDC transmission technology and the control and production disparities involved”, adding, “Now with three years of experience we along with Chinese engineers are training the newly inducted batch of engineers so that Pakistan can have more NTDC specialists in the future”.

Shakeela Kosar, one of the winners speaking at the ceremony. Photo/Tahir Ali

Shakeela Kosar, from Metro train Orange Line Project Lahore, is an inspiration source for scores of females across the country. Six years back, Ms. Kosar joined CR-NORINCO Company as a receptionist, and then she was promoted to the focal person of the company and today she is working as Assistant Manager in her Organisation. “I learned a lot from my Chinese colleagues; they are just like my family; it’s their effort that I’m here,” she said and added that Chinese colleagues provided her with a good working environment. “I had heard that Pakistan and China are good friends but I realized we are good friends,” she said.

Muhammad Hamza Khalid from Sahiwal Power Plant highlighted how he gained experience under Chinese experienced staff at the company. “This award is not just a shield; it is the efforts of my colleagues, leaders, and all the team members who made it possible for me to achieve this award today,” Mr. Khalid said.

Ying Minghao, Deputy CEO of Thar Coal Block 1 and Council Member of APCEA, offered his gratitude and congratulated the award winners. “CPEC has brought great opportunities, achievements, and prosperity for Pakistan and China,” said Mr. Minghao, adding, “The major projects of CPEC that we see as hallmarks, depiction of the strength of Pak-China relationship will be nothing if there were no efforts of such dedicated employees”.

Pan Jiang, Deputy DG, of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China in his speech said, “I am so moved by the touching and vivid stories of CPEC staff; it is your contribution, creativity, and devotion that makes CPEC come so far today; you are the most beautiful contributors and influencers of CPEC construction,” he said.

Mr. Jiang said, “We genuinely helped each other in the socio-economic sector and made co-efforts to provide a safer environment for CPEC construction. With all those achievements, we can tell the world that our friendship is unbreakable, our cooperation under BRI is full of vitality and potential”.

Dr Rehmat Ali, the recipient of Ambassador of Silk Route Award 2022, clinched another award. [Photo/Tahir Ali]

On this occasion, Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong said that the achievements of the CPEC were not possible without the joint efforts of staff from both China and Pakistan. “Among the 34 outstanding Pakistani staff, some of you are engineers, who keep the boilers and other equipment in good condition; some of you are from the administrative sector, who implement the Covid SOPs in a prudent manner; some of you are from financing sector, who help the project to attract investment. Each of you has a good story. You are not only the constructors and participants of CPEC but also the witnesses and promoters of a brilliant history”.

Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, was the keynote speaker of the event. “You are all heroes; men and women like you made great success possible by working day and night; you all deserve our compliments and great appreciation,” Mr. Iqbal said.

Professor Ahsan Iqbal says Chinese experts are superheroes of CPEC. [Photo/Tahir Ali]

He said while acknowledging the work of Pakistani staff, they must acknowledge Chinese friends and workers. “You were all here living in your own homes and working for these projects; but the Chinese friends and brothers who have worked on CPEC projects, they were away from their families; they are the superheroes of CPEC”. He said that due to CPEC projects hundreds of Pakistani engineers and workers are learning modern project management and engineering techniques and “this know-how is a great asset for Pakistan”.

At the end of the ceremony, Ahsan Iqbal and Ambassador Nong Rong distributed awards to the winners and the event ended with a group photo.