ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s government assured the National Assembly on Wednesday that no change has been made in the route of planned China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
It rejected claims by politicians in some provinces that the original route has been altered to the detriment of people of certain areas.
In his policy statement Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that CPEC, in which China is to invest around $45 billion (Dh165 billion), would benefit all the areas of the country.
A raft of agreements were signed during last week’s visit by the Chinese president to Islamabad on projects in the corridor, which will link Kashkar in western China to Gwadar deep-sea port being developed by a Chinese company on the Arabian Sea in the Pakistani province of Balochistan.
A network of highways as well as railway link and a host of other projects including economic zones and energy projects are to be built. An international airport at Gawadar is also planned.
Iqbal said the CEPC is seen as a game-changer and fate-changer for Pakistan and it will serve all the federating units.
Iqbal said some in Pakistan and a neighbouring country — in what observers saw as a reference to India — are perturbed over the mega Chinese investment and they “are spitting venom against it.”
He said political parties should not pay heed to negative propaganda against the project and avoid giving controversial statements about it.
The minister said Pakistan was not getting a single dollar in loans for the energy projects.
The Chinese private sector will invest $35 billion to $37 billion in the energy sector, he said.
Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan is now being considered as “a safe peace for investment” after the Chinese decision to invest $46 billion.
He said the Chinese investment will also attract investment from other countries including the United States, Europe and the Middle East
