Pakistan PM Shehbaz accuses Imran Khan of ruining CPEC projects
May 08, 2022
Lahore [Pakistan], May 8 : Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday accused former Prime minister Imran Khan of ruining the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects, by conducting a forensic audit of the projects which angered the Chinese authorities.
PM Shehbaz accused Imran Khan for the failure of CPEC while speaking to a delegation of the Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) in Lahore today, reported The Express Tribune citing a media report.
Shehbaz further said that he will also look to maintain ties with the brotherly nations and other countries on basis of mutual respect and mutual interests
According to the CPEC Authority, Pakistan could complete only three China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects in Gwadar having a value of over $300 million, as one-dozen schemes costing nearly $2 billion remain unfinished including water supply and electricity provision.
The country fell behind in the completion of the originally scheduled duration of the schemes and projects.
A media report said "CPEC remained dormant during most of the time of the previous PTI government but lately, there had been some progress after the last political regime brought in Khalid Mansoor as special assistant to the PM on CPEC affairs. Yet, he could not take these schemes across the finishing line."
The CPEC Authority, gave the status update report to the new government last month which said that the authority has declared only three schemes as completed, including the $4 million Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan, which cannot be called a project, reported The Express Tribune.
Prime Minister Sharif said to resolve the work over the CPEC and Riko Diq projects and assured the completion of the projects.
