DEPUTY chief of the Chinese embassy Zhao Lijian explained the other day the share of four provinces in the $51.50bn China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project. According to him, there are only four provinces -- Balochistan, Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to Zhao, at least 16 projects under the CPEC are related to Balochistan, 13 projects to Sindh, 12 projects to Punjab and eight projects are related to KP.

China has already invested $14bn in 30 early-harvest projects to be completed under the CPEC, a flagship project of the ‘one belt one road’ initiative launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping.. But there is no share or parts of projects related to Gilgit-Baltistan as such while the file related to Gilgit-Skardu Road is still going round desks and offices without being approved. The PML-N government is doing nothing’ for the prosperity of Gilgit-Baltistan.

Ghulam Mustafa Golvi

Skardu

Published in Dawn October 25th, 2016