Expressing
their full support to China Pakistan Economic Corridor, federal and provincial
governments have agreed to complete homework on new projects approved by 6th
Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) to ensure its speedy and timely
implementation. The decision was taken in a post 6th
Joint Cooperation Committee meeting presided by Professor Ahsan Iqbal, Federal
Minister for Planning, Development and Reform (PD&R) here at Planning
Commission on Thursday.
The meeting
was attended by Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Raja Farooq Haidar
Khan, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervaiz Khattak, Chief Minister Gilgit
Baltistan Hafeez Ur Rehman and provincial ministers from Sindh and Punjab.
Senior officials from federal and provincial government were also present in
the meeting.
In a joint press conference,
Professor Ahsan Iqbal, while highlighting decisions taken in the meeting, told
that leadership has agreed to complete homework on new projects included in
CPEC during 6th JCC in order to avoid any delay. He informed that Pakistani
sides of the Joint Working Groups (JWGs) will meet soon to finalize new
projects in energy, infrastructure and other sectors. On this occasion, he
appreciated the role of provinces particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on
accelerating work on CPEC projects.
Ahsan Iqbal further told that
participants agreed that along with projects in infrastructure and energy
sector, procedure on Industrialization would be firmed up to ensure maximum
benefits of CPEC. Federal Minister further urged on private entrepreneurs to
come forward and fully utilize this opportunity to make Pakistan, a prosperous
country.
“CPEC would not only prove a game
changer for Pakistan but it would ensure connectivity of whole region. It would
turn Pakistan into a trade hub if all the targets were achieved”, said Minister
PD&R.
Ahsan Iqbal said that
participation of senior provincial leadership at 6th JCC, held last month in
Beijing was evidence of provincial support to this billion dollars project
“This participation helped in inclusion of new projects in CPEC portfolio, thus
increasing its outlay up to 50 Billion dollars”.
Minister PD&R, further
appreciating role of Pakistani officials, told that with the hard work and
commitment, a number of projects have been completed before its stipulated
time.
Ahsan Iqbal said that some
elements are spreading misconceptions and hatching conspiracies against the harmony
prevailing about CPEC in entire Pakistan. “Leadership has -
thwarted
such plans by expressing their full support. All the reservations of federating
units were addressed and everyone is now jointly working for success of this
project” he added.
Minister
said that certain circles are engaged in negative propaganda against Pak-China
industrial cooperation but these conspirators will have to see failure for
sure. He informed that Chinese leadership wishes to speed up the process of
industrialization in Pakistan, thus ready to shift industries here due to
expensive labor in China.
“It is illogical to say that a
large number of expensive Chinese workers would come to Pakistan and would
occupy the job market here” said Minister, hoping that jobs for Pakistani
labourers would be multiplied with completion of industrial cooperation under
CPEC.
He said that with initiation of
projects in different sectors, construction material industry has witnessed a
boom and now thousands of Pakistani engineers and workers have got jobs in CPEC
projects.
Ahsan Iqbal further reiterated his
stance, saying that CPEC is the most transparent projects in Pakistan and
questions on its transparency is a baseless practice. “All the projects in
energy sector or operating in independent power producing mode (IPP) where
tariff is determined by NEPRA, an independent body, so there is no room for
questions” he remarked.
“Infrastructure projects have been
initiated with concessional financing, thus it is awarded through a clear and
set procedure” Ahsan Iqbal informed, adding that Chinese Administration gives
names of three companies for each projects where a lowest bidder is decided by
Pakistan.
Answering to a question, Ahsan
Iqbal said that India is suffering of CPEC phobia which would surely lead to
its isolation in this region. “How India would keep himself isolated of a
project where everybody wished to join” Minister questioned.
Earlier, in the meeting all the
provincial leaders have reiterated their full support to CPEC and assured to
take immediate steps for implementation of new projects.
Besides, the leadership agreed
to jointly work against the conspirators. On this occasion, Chief Minister KP
said that all his reservations have been addressed; therefore, his government
is busy to maximize benefits of CPEC. He informed that his government would
organize a road show in the month of March at China to attract investment for
agriculture, mining and tourism sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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