ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal has rejected the rumours regarding any change in Pak-China Economic Corridor and termed these rumours conspiracy against the $45 billion project.
He said this while talking to media persons along with Moulan Fazlur Rehman. The minister said that despite security concerns, the Chinese government has been convinced to work on Pakistan’s economic development. He said that the local anarchists are trying to misguide the nation about this mega projects.
Ahsan Iqbal said that for the last 14 years no planning has been made for energy, infrastructure and human resource development, which have left Pakistan economically dependent and poor in the social sector.
About the 18th Amendment, he said that this amendment in the constitution has complicated things for the federal government to lift all the federating units together. “Keeping in view such complication of the country’s social sector and economic predicament, we have undertaken mega projects like China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which will cater to the needs of all federating units through proper rail and road network and multiple projects in energy within next three years,” he added.
Highlighting the national importance of the project, he said, the route and alignment of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will cover backward areas of the country through multiple alignments of roads. In detail, he said that apart from Makran Coastal Highway, which was the only road connectivity with Gwadar Port, the project will also go further to the upcountry in the north through N-85 and M8. N-85 will connect Gwadar with Quetta via Turbat, Panjgore, Basima etc and M8 will connect Gawadar with Ratodero via Turbat, Khuzdar etc. Both of these sections of highways will be completed within next two to three years on priority basis.
