KP CM invited for briefing on CPEC

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Planning and Development has invited Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Parvaiz Khattak May 10 in Islamabad to provide a detailed briefing on western route of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. The step stems from a letter sent by he KP government on April 11 in which the provincial government has expressed its dismay over what it described as ‘ambiguities’ over the details of western route. The PTI government has held several all parties conferences in Peshawar and Islamabad in which all the treasury and opposition leadership has been participating to firm up its stance on CPEC. The KP CM has been threatening the federal government that unless his government was satisfied with the wholesome package of the corridor, he will not allow provincial land for use by the roads network. Earlier, PrimeMinister Nawaz Sharif had chaired an all parties’ conference last year in which the KP government was assured of giving top priority to the western route, and it will be completed before eastern route. The provincial government, in its letter, sought clarification over ambiguities surrounding the western alignment of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPC). The letter demands of the federal government a clear answer about the components and amenities for the western alignment of the $46 billion mega project. It had urged FederalMinister Planning Ahsan Iqbal to remove “certain ambiguities” pertaining to CPEC. According to the missivethe previous letter received fromthe federal government on March 31 shows a lack of clarity over various matters. While the provincial government’s stance that mere construction of roads does not complete the economic corridor and unless the auxiliaries attached to it like initiating energy projects, gas pipeline, optic fiber, railway track etc. were necessary parts of the corridor. The federal government on its part continues to cite the motorway route fromBurhan to DI Khan to Zhob and up to Gwadar. The ministry, according to official sources, has finalised it budgetary proposals for the year 2016-2017 which the ministry officials would present as proof of sincerity of the federal government in implementation and timely completion of the wester route.