The government said on Wednesday that all provinces would be consulted before finalising the sites for establishment of industrial zones under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal in a detailed briefing given to the leaders of parliamentary parties at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said all provinces would be taken on board on CPEC project.
The meeting was especially convened at the PM House to apprise the parliamentary leaders about China Pakistan Economic Corridor and remove the apprehensions of provinces about the project. The minister dismissed the impression that the route of CPEC had been altered to pass through Punjab ignoring other provinces.
Instead, he said, the working group which was responsible to demarcate the sites for industrial zones was yet to be formed.
“After the formation of the said working group, all provincial governments would be asked to suggest the areas feasible for industrial parks in their provinces,” he said.
He mentioned that other four working groups on energy, communication network, Gwadar Port and infrastructure were already functional and comprised members from China and Pakistan.
The minister said the CPEC was not just the name of a road or a route, rather it was a portfolio of projects having complete framework. “The CPEC is an umbrella which includes the projects of energy, industry, Gwadar port and infrastructure worth 46 billion dollars,” he added.
Ahsan Iqbal said there would be three principle alignments to access Gwadar up to Khunjrab that would pass through the eastern, central and western parts of the country.
He said the operational connectivity of Gwadar would be made by upgrading the existing road network and construction of missing road links. He mentioned that work on Gwadar-Sorab missing link and on the 650 kilometre road from Quetta, Qila Saifullah and Zhob to Gwadar was being carried out by Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for last two years.
He said the connection road of N-85 would be completed by 2016. The government will sign agreements with Asian Development Bank (ADB) today for upgradation of N-50 from Dera Ismail Khan and Quetta besides N-70 from Loralai and Multan.
He said a portion of Karakorum Highway was being constructed with China’s assistance, while the N-85 and N-8 were being built-up with the Pakistan government’s own resources and in collaboration with Asian Development Bank (ADB).
About 65 percent work on Gwadar-Hoshab and 30 percent work on Sorab to Hoshab has been completed. The 110 kilometre Khuzdar-Besima section has also been included in CPEC, he added.
About the priority projects of 10,700 mega watt under CPEC, the minister said Quaid-e-Azam solar park (1,000 mega watt), Dawood project (50 mega watt), Sukki Kinari (870 mega watt) and Gwadar coal power project topped the list.
He said Gaddani power project, Jetty infrastructure and Hubco project were among the second line projects. He said Pakistan and China had also agreed on further five billion dollar on the transmission of electricity.
The minister clarified that no loans were being taken for completion of energy projects, adding that entire process was being carried out transparently. He said no new motorway projects were being initiated under CPEC.
