ISLAMABAD – The Senate was informed on Wednesday that energy projects with a total capacity of 17,045 megawatts will be taken up under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
This was stated by the Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal while responding to a question during Questions Hour in the Upper House.
He said that projects with a capacity of 1,110 megawatts based on research and scientific analysis are on the advanced staged.
The minister said that Chinese experts are undertaking studies to fund hydel projects on River Indus like Diamer-Bhasha, Bunji, and other projects. He said that in principal China has agreed to fund hydel projects on River Indus.
To a question, Ahsan Iqbal said that a project with a capacity of 300 megawatts has been approved in Gwadar and work on this will be started as soon as Balochistan Government provides land for this purpose.
Minister for Energy Awais Khan Leghari dispelled the impression that China is tilting towards India regarding China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Giving Ministerial response to a matter of public importance, he said that CPEC is a part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and a bilateral project between Pakistan and China and no third country can be made part of it.
