The government of Gilgit-Baltistan has urged the federal government to initiate some development projects for the territory under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The federal government has so far signed at least 51 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) of different energy and development projects with China but none of them is for Gilgit-Baltistan. In April this year, Pakistan and China signed an agreement of $46 billion during a two-day visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Islamabad.
A major chunk of the funds is allocated for construction and installation of new power projects to overcome the ongoing energy crisis. Gilgit-Baltistan Minister for Works Dr Muhammad Iqbal told Business Recorder on Saturday that his government has taken up the issue with the federal government as zero projects under the CPEC for GB is a clear cut case of discrimination against the people of the territory.
"The federal government has promised to construct two economic zones in Gilgit-Baltistan but these projects are not part of the CPEC," he said. The Minister said the federal government should not ignore the people of the territory "who need development projects under the CPEC the most. We hope the federal government would pay heed to our demands and include the territory in the CPEC." A senior government official, however, said the government has refrained from announcing any projects for the Gilgit-Baltistan under the CPEC as it does not want to make the entire corridor controversial.
"We are cautious as India could make the CPEC contentious if we announce some projects under the CPEC for Gilgit-Baltistan," he said, adding that India considers the territory as controversial as Pakistan's stance on Indian-held Jammu and Kashmir. Dr Amjad Hussain, a former member of the Gilgit-Baltistan Council, said the territory is considered part of Pakistan when the federal government wants to benefit from its resources but it is regarded as a controversial area when it comes to announcing benefits for the people.
"People of Gilgit-Baltistan are getting frustrated with double standards of the federal government," he said, urging Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to announce some exclusive development projects for the area by extending it a special status. It is a clear discrimination with people of the territory as the government has not announced even a single development project for the area under the CPEC, he said. Hussain said the federal government is also planning to shift Sost Dry Port from Gilgit-Baltistan to Havelian in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which would be strongly resisted.
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