LAHORE, Pakistan: The Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Reforms Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was really a game-changer but some foreign powers and people having vested interests were trying to scandalise it.
While addressing the 14th CEO Summit Asia 2017 and the book launch of 100 performing CEOs, leaders and companies of Pakistan held at a local hotel in Lahore, the minister while rubbishing rumours and apprising the business community of facts about CPEC said that Long-Term Plan (LTP) for the project had been approved by the government and Chinese government would approve this in coming days.
The minister said that the government was focusing on infrastructure and energy in the Annual Development programme 2017-18; however, projects of social development would also be launched.
“Allah Almighty has given us China as a friend to form a strategic partnership with it,” he added.
Ahsan Iqbal said that the motive behind the long-term strategic partnership was to put Pakistan on path to industrialization and take agriculture sector towards value-addition.
The theme of the event was “Reshaping the Future: Build Greater Pakistan”, which was addressed by the Punjab Governor Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana and the Punjab Finance Minister Dr Ayesha Ghous Pasha.
Hundreds of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), business leaders from Pakistan and around the region participated.
