Balochistan will be given its due share in CPEC, assures Imran Khan

Pic Courtesy: PTI

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has assured that Balochistan will be given its due share in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), adding that the agreement will be reviewed. According to Pakistan-based Geo News, Imran Khan gave the assurance during a meeting with members of Balochistan Cabinet.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief further said that the progress of Pakistan was linked with that of Balochistan.

In September, a report in Financial Times had said that the Pakistan government would be looking to review the deals of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and renegotiate a trade pact signed with Beijing a decade ago.

The Pakistan Prime Minister reportedly constituted a nine-member committee to analyse the USD 62 billion project.

Abdul Razak Dawood, an industrialist, who is a part of the committee, was quoted by The Financial Times as saying, "The previous government did a bad job negotiating with China on CPEC - they didn`t do their homework correctly and didn`t negotiate correctly so they gave away a lot."

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi indicated that Beijing would be willing to renegotiate the trade deal signed in 2006 with Islamabad. "CPEC has not inflicted a debt burden on Pakistan. When these projects get completed and enter into operation, they will unleash huge economic benefits," Wang said.

Pakistan is currently reeling from a huge financial crisis. The new government is planning to approach the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for its 13th bailout in the last three decades, as the Pakistani rupee continues to weaken further in a volatile global financial market.

(With agency inputs)