Chairman Parliamentary Committee on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Mushahid Hussain Syed has said the western route of the Corridor will be completed by December next year. The 7th meeting of the Committee, since its formation on September 15, 2015, comprising 15 members, was held here on Monday. The committee members discussed various aspects of the projects, their progress with reference to Gwadar which is the starting point of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Senator Mushahid Hussain in his remarks assured the members that "all the reservations of the local inhabitants of Gwadar would be addressed and resolved and the rights of the people of Gwadar as well as the people of Balochistan would be fully promoted and projected".
Joint corporation committee (JCC) which is the apex decision making body on CPEC between China and Pakistan has adopted an updated list of prioritised and actively promoted energy projects. The committee was briefed in detail about the decisions taken on 15 different items including energy, road projects and Gwadar. Senator Mushahid said the "CPEC is a strategic national project, the most important in the country's history since the nuclear programme and the CPEC is vital for Pakistan's future prosperity by knitting the federation together through progress in the smaller provinces particularly the less-developed areas". He also welcomed the representatives of Gilgit Baltistan, who attended the meeting as special invitees.
The committee was briefed that in Phase-I, there was a security and development plan being developed in Gwadar at the cost of Rs 3.4 billion and the committee directed the Ministry of Planning and Development to furnish details of the plan and the break-up of the cost in various sectors.
He also briefed the parliamentary committee regarding the CPEC Media Forum which was held in Islamabad on November 16, 2015, an effort to develop the CPEC-specific website as well as his meeting with Sardar Akhtar Mengal, former Chief Minister of Balochistan who has invited the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on CPEC to attend an All-Party Conference on Gwadar which Sardar Mengal has convened in January 10, 2016 and which the chairman accepted.
The Senator further said the first quarterly report of the committee was ready for presentation in parliament and requested Minister for SAFRON, Lieutenant General Abdul Qadir Baloch (Retd) to present the report in the National Assembly on behalf of the Parliamentary committee on CPEC.
The committee also directed the Ministry of Water and Power to respond to the questions raised by PTI leader Asad Umar, MNA, by December 21, so that the interest of the Parliamentary committee on CPEC is fully promoted. Mushahid said the committee members visited Gwadar to observe the progress undergoing at the western route. Earlier, the committee members visited Talar, Ghoshab and Turbat in Balochistan. He said the committee has also decided to visit Sindh next month to inspect the power projects in Thar and Port Qasim.
As per plans, the committee will also visit Peshawar to meet Chief Minister KP Pervaiz Khattak to brief the projects' summary on CPEC on December 31. He said the members of committee proposed to make agricultural sector as part of CPEC. Railways, too, will require a new definition under the CPEC. As per documents, out of 14 projects under a prioritised list, 2 projects have already achieved financial close and 5 projects have started construction from sponsor equity and 2 hydro power projects are also at advanced stages.
Following projects to be taken up in 2016 for transport infrastructure and Gwadar segments includes Khuzdar-basima (110 KM), KKH-Phase-II (280 KM) Raikot-Thakot section, D.I. Khan-Quetta (533 KM), Expansion of Multipurpose terminal including breakwater and dredging, eastbay Expressway II and Fresh water supply, Wastewater treatment plans for Gwadar city.
The next meeting of Gwadar joint working group is expected soon to speed up Gwadar projects like water and energy, technical and vocation training institute and development of Gwadar port city smart plan as well as finalisation of the second phase of CPEC projects.
Talking to Business Recorder, Asad Umar said that the committee has so far not been able to bring the financial statement of CPEC budget in black and white. He raised the questions regarding the equity, debt and financial close with respect to the CPEC, adding that committee should allocate Rs 34 billion categorically which are meant for the energy projects. He also inquired about the foreign and other modes of the investment along with the government guarantees returns and terms on which the borrowing has been made.
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