China to have joint venture with Pakistani firms to execute CPEC projects: Ahsan

Says Pakistan has no role in decision making on execution of projects; Chinese govt will decide what to do

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has said the Chinese government can go for ‘joint venture or sub-contracting’ with the Pakistani companies and firms including the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) to execute mega development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Talking to The News, he said the Pakistan government has no role in the decisions on execution of the development projects under CPEC  because it is the Chinese government that decides what to do when it comes to the execution of these projects.

“The Chinese government is investing 46 billion dollars under CPEC projects in Pakistan and it was decided that the Chinese firms would be engaged to execute the development projects. But if the Chinese firms need assistance, then they can complete the projects through joint ventures or sub-contracting,” he said.  The minister said the security institutions were providing foolproof security to the Chinese experts currently working on the CPEC projects and the specially prepared force comprising thousands of highly trained personnel was also ready to provide protection during execution of the CPEC project.

He said: “Though the government and security institutions are working hand in hand to ensure protection and smooth execution of the CPEC project but no one ever discussed the proposal to form a consultative forum on the pattern of the apex committees to ensure smooth implementation of this multi-billion project that is termed as ‘game changer’ in the region.”  To a question, he said the Chinese government is now fully satisfied with the security arrangements being made by Pakistan as all their concerns and reservations have been addressed through implementation of a fool-proof mechanism introduced to provide protection to everyone that would work under the CPEC project.

Ahsan Iqbal said the Western Route of the CPEC project would become operational by December 2016 as the Indus Highway would help provide a link between Quetta and Gwadar.

“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed to also construct a motorway from Burhan to Dera Ismail Khan at the cost of Rs125 billion as part of the Western Route of the CPEC project to remove all concerns of the people of KP,” he said.

The minister said the work on the construction of motorway from Burhan to Dera Ismail Khan would be initiated soon, adding “Though the Western Route would become operational by end of this year but it would be fully completed  by 2018.”