KARACHI: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal remarked that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor became a reality due to the efforts of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

While addressing the Pakistan International Trade Fair 2017 on Friday, the interior minister shared that projects worth Rs27 billion have been completed under CPEC. 

Iqbal also claimed that China invested $35 billion in Pakistan at a time when no other country was interested. China is truly Pakistan?s ?friend in need, a friend indeed?, he remarked.

The investors in Pakistan were scared to invest in the country due to its conditions but China helped us through this time, he added.

CPEC helped diversify energy generation projects, he remarked, adding that now Pakistan will not be dependent on other countries for resources such as oil and liquefied natural gas.

Three hundred and sixty LNG projects are being worked on under CPEC, he added.

Seventy years ago, no one would have imagined capitalising on the coal available in Tharparkar, he remarked, adding that the resource is now being tapped courtesy of CPEC. 

Pakistan International Trade Fair has been organised by Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with Badar Expo. 

The expo, which was inaugurated by President Mamnoon Hussain on Thursday, seeks to provide a platform to entrepreneurs to showcase their products to buyers from more than 20 countries.