This is apropos a Business Recorder news item "100pc funding of Gwadar airport project by China: Why is there PSDP allocation?" carried by the newspaper yesterday. It has been stated that the Chinese government is fully funding the entire construction of Gwadar International Airport. Saleem Mandviwalla has made this revelation.
Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance informed the committee members that Chinese ambassador to Pakistan has recently disclosed this before him. Mandviwalla said that according to the Chinese ambassador "no money of Pakistan is being spent on construction of the airport. The report further said that the committee members and chairman wondered why the federal government has allocated Rs 100 million in PSDP for Gwadar airport. He said as per the Chinese ambassador, an interest-free loan has been provided for the construction of airport at Gwadar.
The committee decided to seek an explanation from the Ministry of Planning as to why Rs 100 million has been allocated for Gwadar airport when China is providing full funding of the project. Allocating an amount of Rs 100 million to Gwadar airport project through PSDP 2016-17 does not make any greater sense it what Mandviwalla has said is not denied or disputed by the ministry concerned. The situation, nevertheless, has underscor5ed the need for maintaining greater transparency on all matters related to the execution of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are concerned.
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