Xu Shaoshi, Chairman of China's National Reform and Development Commission, exchanges agreement documents with Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development and Reform of Pakistan (COURTESY OF THE PAKISTANI EMBASSY IN CHINA)

A high-level Pakistani delegation consisting of chief ministers came to Beijing to attend the 6th Joint Coordination Committee Meeting on December 29.

The meeting was co-chaired by Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning, Development and Reform of Pakistan and Wang Xiaotao, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission of China.

"CPEC is very important to us because it will completely change Pakistan in future," Pervez Khan Khattak, Chief Minister of northwest Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province said in an exclusive interview with Beijing Review on December 28.

The 66-year-old chief minister represents Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the largest party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pervez Khan Khattak, Chief Minister of northwest Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province receives an interview by Beijing Review on December 28, 2016 (COURTESY OF PAKISTANI EMBASSY IN CHINA)

"The CPEC brings us a good chance to change my province," Khattak said, "So we fully support the CPEC projects."

Khattak expects investment from China, especially in industry, tourism and mining in his province.

"We have a lot of beautiful places for tourists, and the potential of industry waits to be tapped," Khattak said.

According to Khattak, there are two road projects under construction as a part of the CPEC. The new roads will enhance road connectivity between the province and other places of Pakistan.

"The road construction just started, but it is going at a fast pace," he said.

Khattak also stressed that security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has improved a lot over the past three years since the government launched an effective operation against terrorists in the province. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa shares a border with Afghanistan.

Khattak had intense talks with his China counterparts because of the tight schedule of the visit. However, he said the two sides had reached a number of agreements on implementing the CPEC projects.

Copyedited by Dominic James Madar

Comments to liuyunyun@bjreview.com