Ahsan Iqbal pushes for timely completion of key CPEC projects

ISLAMABAD: Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives of Pakistan, has voiced his frustration regarding the slow advancement of key mega projects within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). On Tuesday, he presided over a meeting aimed at preparing for the Joint Cooperation Council (JCC) meeting, which is the main decision-making body for CPEC, scheduled for July.

During the session, Minister Iqbal raised concerns about the inadequate progress on three essential projects that are critical for Gwadar: the grid connectivity to the city, the water desalination initiative, and various socio-economic development efforts.

He also pointed out that there has been little progress on the pivotal Karachi-Peshawar Railway Mainline (ML-1) project, which carries a $10 billion price tag.

The minister instructed the diplomatic mission in Beijing, along with the Economic Affairs Division, to engage with Chinese authorities to establish a timeline for the visit of technical and financial experts to evaluate the project.

He also stressed on the importance of early coordination to facilitate this visit, as stated in an official release quoting the minister, who also serves as Pakistan’s focal person on CPEC.

Similar directives were issued by the minister in October and December of the previous year, as progress on ML-1 has remained stagnant since the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) administration from 2013 to 2018.

In the first week of October 2024, Iqbal also called for the swift finalisation of the financing agreement ahead of the anticipated visit from the Chinese Prime Minister in mid-October.

Chinese embassy honours Pakistani staff for contributions to CPEC projects 

On October 2, during a meeting focused on CPEC, Iqbal urged the ministries of railways and finance to finalise the financing terms with their Chinese counterparts promptly, according to a statement released after the meeting. A subsequent meeting on December 6 saw the Planning Minister requesting that China expedite the visit of its technical and finance teams to Pakistan, with the goal of finalizing both the agreement and the implementation of the initial phase of the ML-1 project, as well as the establishment of two model special economic zones in Karachi and Islamabad.

In that meeting, Mr. Iqbal highlighted that he had asked the Chinese ambassador to send teams of technical and financial experts concurrently in order to accelerate discussions. He reminded attendees that during the Chinese premier’s visit to Pakistan in October, it was agreed that a team of railway technical experts would be sent. Alongside them, a group of financial experts would also be instrumental in securing financing arrangements for the first phase of ML-1, which entails a budget of $1.1 billion for the stretch between Karachi and Hyderabad.