Aside from the completion of certain ongoing projects, the first two years have witnessed slow progress on the development of the various projects undertaken by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) agreements. 2018 is expected to be a significantly important year for CPEC as many of the projects initiated in the past few years have reached at advanced stages of completion. In this article, we will talk about the 10 major CPEC projects that are expected to reach their completion soon. 

Experts believe that 2018 is a great year of taking stocks and making strategic plans for the future developments of CPEC, leading up to 2030. As the CPEC enters a new phase, given that many energy projects and highways construction projects are coming to an end. The development focus will move towards industrialisation and financial innovation to provide long-term gains for both countries, China and Pakistan. 

Naturally, the authorities will also shift the focus from highways and road construction to advancing the Railways network. The Karachi-Peshawar Main Line (ML-1) is a dynamic project worth a staggering amount of $8.2 billion, while the Karachi Circular Railway, worth $3.5 billion would also increase the appeal of this mega trading hub. Together, these two projects are major milestones. 

In the industrial sector, the countries must begin working on creating three powerful industrial and economic zones, which have been targeted as Dhabeji in Sindh, the M-3 in Faisalabad, and Rashakai in KPK. In 2018, one of the major projects of CPEC that is expected to complete is the Orange Line Mass Transit Project which worth $2 billion. This project has been lauded by the Pakistan’s former federal government throughout its tenure. 

In the energy sector, Port Qasim Coal project which  worth more than $2 billion, is being established under the Sinohydro Resource of China in collaboration of the Al-Mirqab Captial of Qatar. This project will have a power generation capacity of 1320MW and it began operations in June 2018. Beside these major projects, two wind projects have been launched in Sindh to produce 50MW and the expected development will begin in September 2018. In December 2018 the China-Hub Coal Power Company will start operating with one 660MW unit out of the two promised. 

In Punjab, the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park has been designed to produce 700MW. The Eastbay Expressway project worth $150 million in Gwadar is also expected to be completed in 2018. Authorities are trying to complete the Freshwater Treatment Facility worth $130 million by 2019 and this project is extremely significant for Gwadar Port as it will provide five million gallons of water per day. 

Lastly, the Karakoram Highway (KKH) Phase-1 has undergone the addition of a 39-Km stretch from Havelian-Abbottabad and Manshera which completed in May, 2018. Following the completion of the Multan-Bahawalpur, Sukkur-Sadiqabad road which marks the completion of four out of the five sections designed in the Peshawar-Karachi Motorway worth $2.6 billion. 

And finally, the development on the optical fibre cable that is designed to create a cross-border link between the two countries is also completing in near future.