CPEC: 'Out of $46 bn, $35 bn is Chinese investment, $11b soft loan'

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal on Monday informed the National Assembly that out of total $46 billion, $35 billion was purely investment from China under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) for energy sector, and the rest was given to Pakistan as soft loan for infrastructure development.  During the question-hour session, he said the anti-CPEC lobbies were making the game-changer project controversial. The loan, he said, had been given at very low rates.

Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Communications Alam Dad Laleka said the CPEC link road with total length of 106-km would connect Khuzdar with Baasima. The PC-1 of the project amounting to Rs19.88.435 million had been approved by ECNEC in its meeting held on April 12.

he application for obtaining loan from Exim Bank China for the project, he said, was under preparation in the NHA and would be submitted to the Ministry of Communications and Economic Affairs Division shortly.  On the other hand, Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid Monday tabled consolidated electoral reforms bill, entitled "The Election Bill, 2017", in the National Assembly for approval. The bill would ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the country, the minister said while presenting the bill in the house.