Engineering:Pakistan-China Fiber Optic Project
The Pakistan-China Fiber Optic Project is an 820 kilometer long optical fiber cable laid down between the Khunjerab Pass on the China-Pakistan border and the city of Rawalpindi. It has been constructed as part of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor at an estimated cost of $44 million.[1] Groundbreaking on the project took place on May 19, 2016, in the city of Gilgit.[2] The line was first envisaged in 2009,[3] with Pakistan and China signing an agreement in 2013 to implement the project .[4] However the project was not implemented until being included as part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. Placement of the line will take an estimated 2 years, and will bring 3G and 4G connectivity to the Gilgit-Baltistan region.[5]
The line will connect the Transit Europe-Asia Terrestrial Cable Network with that of Pakistan ,[6] which currently transmits its telecom and internet traffic through four undersea fiber optic cables, with another three undersea fiber optic cables under construction.[7]
466.54 kilometers of the route will be located in Gilgit-Baltistan, while 287.66 kilometers will be laid in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 47.56 kilometers will be in Punjab province, and 18.2 kilometers in Islamabad Capital Territory.[8] which will be extended to Gwadar.[9][10]
The project is financed by the Exim Bank of China at a concessionary interest rate of 2%, versus the 1.6% typical of other CPEC infrastructure projects.[11]
The project has been completed and inaugurated in July 2018.[12]
References
- ↑ "India Snubbed: Pak-China Initiate CPEC Project in Gilgit-Baltistan". The Quint. 19 May 2016. http://www.thequint.com/hot-wire/2016/05/19/india-snubbed-pak-china-initiate-cpec-project-in-gilgit-baltistan.
- ↑ "PM inaugurates Pakistan-China Fiber Optic project". The News. 19 May 2016. http://dailytimes.com.pk/pakistan/19-May-16/pm-to-inaugurate-fiber-optic-project-in-gilgit-baltistan.
- ↑ Khan, Mehwish (19 May 2016). "Pakistan To Deploy Fiber Optic Cable to Connect with China". ProPakistani. http://propakistani.pk/2010/12/29/pakistan-to-deploy-fiber-optic-cable-to-connect-with-china/.
- ↑ "PM performs groundbreaking of Pak-China optic fiber project". Dunya News. 19 May 2016. http://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/337436-PM-performs-groundbreaking-of-PakChina-optic-fibe.
- ↑ "India Snubbed: Pak-China Initiate CPEC Project in Gilgit-Baltistan". The Quint. 19 May 2016. http://www.thequint.com/hot-wire/2016/05/19/india-snubbed-pak-china-initiate-cpec-project-in-gilgit-baltistan.
- ↑ "PM performs groundbreaking of Pak-China optic fiber project". Dunya News. 19 May 2016. http://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/337436-PM-performs-groundbreaking-of-PakChina-optic-fibe.
- ↑ "Pakistan to Get $44 Million Fiber Optic Back Haul to Link with China". ProPakistani. http://propakistani.pk/2015/12/03/pakistan-to-get-44-million-fiber-optic-back-haul-to-link-with-china/.
- ↑ "Pakistan to Get $44 Million Fiber Optic Back Haul to Link with China". ProPakistani. http://propakistani.pk/2015/12/03/pakistan-to-get-44-million-fiber-optic-back-haul-to-link-with-china/.
- ↑ "Optic fibre cable connecting Pakistan, China to be inaugurated today". 13 July 2018. https://tribune.com.pk/story/1756458/2-optic-fibre-cable-connecting-pakistan-china-inaugurated-today/.
- ↑ "China builds Digital Silk Road in Pakistan to Africa and Europe". NIKKEI Asia. 29 January 2021. http://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Belt-and-Road/China-builds-Digital-Silk-Road-in-Pakistan-to-Africa-and-Europe.
- ↑ Naveed Butt (3 September 2015). "Economic corridor: China to extend assistance at 1.6 percent interest rate". Business Recorder. http://www.brecorder.com/market-data/stocks-a-bonds/0/1223449/.
- ↑ "Pak-China fibre optic cable to start functioning by year-end". 15 September 2018. https://tribune.com.pk/story/1804386/2-pak-china-fibre-optic-cable-start-functioning-year-end/.
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