Chinese-funded companies in Pakistan committed to corporate social responsibility: official

Photo taken on Feb. 4, 2021 shows the Lahore converter station of the ±660kV Matiari-Lahore high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan's eastern Punjab Province. (SGCC/Handout via Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said that the Chinese-funded companies operating in Pakistan are strongly committed to corporate social responsibility.

Chinese-funded corporations, including those working on projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), are playing a very responsible role in bringing about sustainable social, environmental and economic benefits for the welfare of people of Pakistan, Habib said while attending the 14th Annual Corporate Social Responsibility Summit on Thursday.

"The projects under CPEC are promoting the green development of the country ... The state-of-the-art infrastructure and energy projects give impetus to the economic growth of Pakistan," the state minister told Xinhua, adding that the early completion of the CPEC projects is the foremost priority of the Pakistani government.

On the occasion, the National Forum for Environment and Health also gave awards related to corporate social responsibility to dozens of corporations including several Chinese-funded companies.

Li Hui, chief representative of China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co., Ltd. to Pakistan, which is a subsidiary of the State Grid Corporation of China that invested and constructed the Matiari-Lahore high-voltage direct current transmission project under CPEC, told Xinhua that winning awards related to corporate social responsibility highlighted the recognition that the project has received.

The transmission project has been devoted to corporate social responsibility and donated a large amount of rice and flour to the locals and helped the Pakistani people to fight COVID-19 through provision of masks and medicine, he said, adding that the project also planted over 50,000 trees in eastern Punjab province during the last year to protect the environment.

"Our project will do more in terms of corporate social responsibility in the future to bring more tangible benefits to the locals and enhance the special friendship between China and Pakistan," he added.