Adnan Aamir
Quetta: The total value of projects of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is $50 billion, revealed the answer of the federal government in the question hour in the National Assembly on 9th January.
Its commonly believed that the total value of CPEC projects is $62 billion but the response of the federal government made it clear that CPEC is valued at $50 billion approximately including the ML-1 Railways project.
According to the details shared by the National Assembly of Pakistan, 13 projects of CPEC worth $11 billion are completed and 13 projects worth $18 billion are under implementation. $21 billion projects are still in pipeline, read the detailed answer of Asad Umar Federal Minister for Planning and development a copy of which is available with Balochistan Voices.
Read Also: The Myth of CPEC’s Western Route
These details were shared by Asad Umar in response to questions asked by Members of the National Assembly from Balochistan Hashim Notezai and Munawara Baloch.
Infrastructure Projects in Balochistan
The answer of the federal government also shared details about 7 infrastructure projects of CPEC in Balochistan.
For Mughalkot to Zhob and Zhob to Kuchlak sections of N-50, a total of Rs143.31 billion has been approved but only Rs9 billion was allocated in 2019-20. Interestingly the federal government had termed the allocation as adequate.
The federal government claimed that PC-1 of the dualization of the Chaman to Khuzdar section of N-50 has not been prepared yet. This project is valued at Rs80.5 billion and the government will try to incorporate a portion of this into the western route of CPEC.
Sorab to Hoshab section of N-50 was improved at a cost of Rs22.41 billion and financed under federal PSDP. Likewise, Gwadar to Hoshab section of M8 has been completed and the remaining portion of M8 connecting Gwadar with Ratodero via Khuzdar is under construction.
In Gwadar, 46 percent work has been completed on Gwadar Eastbay expressway, which is being financed through a $179 million interest-free loan. New Gwadar International Airport, which will cost $230 million, is under construction with Chinese financial assistance.
Energy Projects in Balochistan
In Balochistan, only 2 out of 21 energy projects of CPEC are based in Balochistan. A 300 MW power plant in Gwadar is under construction. 2 X 660 Mw power plants of the HUBCO coal power project have already started working in Hub.
12 out of 21 projects of CPEC are based in Sindh and 4 of them are based in Punjab.
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