Governments end bickering ahead of CPEC Beijing meeting

The federal and provincial governments have decided to take up the case of Pakistan jointly and effectively during the forthcoming meeting of Joint Co-ordination Committee (JCC) on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) scheduled for December 29 in Beijing.
"Consensus was reached between the federal and provincial governments to make China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a success for the brighter and prosperous future of the country. The 6th meeting of the Joint Co-operation Committee (JCC) between Pakistan and China is scheduled to be held in Beijing on December 29 this year. Ministers, senior officials and experts from both countries would review progress on the ongoing projects under CPEC framework on this occasion," Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal told media after a consultative meeting of Pak-China Joint Co-operation Committee in Islamabad on Thursday.
The meeting chaired by Ahsan Iqbal was held at Planning Commission. Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak, Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Hafiz-ur-Rehman, Sindh Minister for Transport and Mass Transit Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Punjab Minister for Industries Allauddin, and AJK Minister for P&D Dr Najeeb Naqi Khan represented their respective provinces. Chief Secretary Balochistan Saifullah Chatha represented his province and a large number of federal secretaries and provincial secretaries along with senior officials also attended the meeting.
Ahsan Iqbal said the representatives of all provincial governments participated in the meeting and discussed the agenda of Joint Co-ordination Committee and proposals presented by the provinces. He said that a new door of development would open up by including new projects in the CPEC. "We should make the CPEC successful by setting aside political differences. The federal government wants to move forward by taking the provincial governments into confidence to ensure successful completion of projects," he said.
He said, "the CPEC is a project of the whole country and we all should have to work for its success." He said that a two-day meeting of the JCC will be held in Beijing on 29th of this month. He said the CPEC is a ''fate-changer'' project, which will benefit all the provinces. He said the focus of the meeting would be on industrial investment co-operation and new transportation projects as well as the next phase of Karakoram Highway. He said that Chief Minister KP Pervez Khattak and other participants vowed to fully participate in the upcoming important meeting of the JCC scheduled next week.
Governor KP Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said this project is not only a game changer for Pakistan but also for the whole region. He said the projects to be initiated in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) would pave way for prosperity of the war-affected areas.
Chief Minster Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak told media that he would participate in the upcoming JCC meeting in Beijing with full preparations. He said, "We presented various proposals in today (Thursday) in the consultative meeting."
Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Hafiz-ur-Rehman said it is a good initiative of the federal government to invite the provincial governments for consultation on the CPEC projects. Sindh Minister for Transport and Mass Transit Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said the federal government has given approval to include Karachi Circular Railway and Keti Bunder Port projects in the CPEC. He said that Pakistan People''s Party takes the ownership of CPEC because it is a project of whole country.
Punjab Minister for Industries Allauddin said that his government has proposed different industrial zones to be developed under industry''s co-operation between Pakistan and China. "We are working to ensuring creation of maximum jobs through CPEC projects," added the provincial minister. Minister for Planning and Development AJK, Dr Najeeb Naqi Khan, also appreciated the federal government for considering a number of road projects under the CPEC for AJK.
Earlier, while apprising the participants, Ahsan Iqbal said that CPEC has grabbed attention of the whole world and this multibillion dollar project is being discussed and lauded at every forum. He said that many countries are showing their willingness to join this project. "CPEC has created hope amongst the friends of Pakistan and has terrified its foes," he added.
He urged all the stakeholders to work jointly against those lobbies that are waging campaigns to mislead the masses and make this project controversial. The minister said that after successful implementation on early harvest projects in energy section, construction work is under way on Western route which will be completed in accordance with its time-line. He said that work on a number of projects in Gwadar will be started soon after this forthcoming JCC. The JCC meeting would also lead to creating greater co-operation from the industry, he added.