ISLAMABAD, November 24: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government continues efforts to dispel the United States’ concerns over the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with the foreign minister and the de-facto information minister reaffirming Islamabad’s commitment to the mega project on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters in Multan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Islamabad had categorically rejected Washington’s claims on CPEC and its impact on Pakistan’s economy.
“We do not agree with the [American] assessment and we have conveyed as much. In fact, we have expedited CPEC projects and have initiated the second phase of its implementation,” he said.
The minister asserted that China’s share in Pakistan’s overall debt burden was minimal and that the mega project would only have a positive impact.
“Pakistan’s total debt burden is $74 billion of which CPEC is only $4.9bn. CPEC is a gamechanger for the entire region and there is no restriction for any country, including the US, to invest in the special economic zones being established under CPEC,” said Qureshi.-Agencies
