CPEC cannot do without Gwadar and Balochistan, provincial information minister tells China

  Balochistan Information Minister Zahoor Buledi said the Balochistan government has demanded 50% share for the province from China and the federal government in the socio-economic development grants under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The size of the socio-economic portfolio is approximately $1billion, including 20,000 scholarships for students. Buledi was representing the Balochistan government at the Eighth Joint Cooperation Committee meeting of CPEC in Beijing on Saturday. “We intend to spend it [the funds] on health, education, agriculture and livestock,” the provincial information minister tweeted.

On nstruction CM @jam_kamal, we have demanded 50% share for Bln from Chinese and federal govt in socio economic development grants.size of the Socio-eco  portfolio is $1B appxy, including 20,000 Scholarships forStudents.We intend to spend it on health, edu ,agriculture, livestock

— Zahoor Buledi (@BulediZahoor) December 22, 2018

In a frank and candid speech to the committee, he asked the federal government to build the Dera Ismail Khan-Zhob Road and Nokandi-Mashkeil-Parom Road with federal and Chinese funding. He said the schemes were approved in previous JCC meetings and reflected in the federal Public Sector Development programme but were lying dormant. Related: Enough is enough: Balochistan calls out Centre on unjust share in CPEC “We take Balochistan’s stakes in CPEC very seriously,” he said, adding that the Centre and China have responded positively to the proposals but details are yet to be worked out. He said the CPEC project is incomplete without Gwadar and Balochistan.