ISLAMABAD: Despite Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal’s briefing on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development expressed concerns over the government’s strategy for the $46 project.
The minister also gave a copy of the memorandum of understanding signed between the governments of Pakistan and China, and briefed the committee on specific aspects of the project, including eastern and western routes, railway links, economic zones and power projects . However, Ahsan Iqbal could not could not satisfy the members of the committee.
Committee Chairman Senator Tahir Hussain Mashhadi said that the the government is concealing facts which are creating serious doubts, especially among the people of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.
Ahsan Iqbal also answered the questions of the members raised on Lahore’s Orange Line train project. The committee asked whether the Orange Train project was the part of CPEC or not? Iqbal said such critical questions irked the Chinese government and made the project doubtful.
Mashhadi observed that officials of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), Pakistan Railways and heads of CPEC-related departments were also uncertain about their projects along the corridor.
