ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Information Minister Syed Ali Zafar has said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a long term project for the development and progress of Pakistan as well as enhancing regional connectivity.
Addressing concluding session of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors in Islamabad on Monday, he said China has played an important role in Pakistan's development. He said China is our time-tested and all-weather friend which has always helped and supported Pakistan in every hour of need.
He said no country will make progress without power, infrastructure, and industrialization. He said CPEC right now talks of the first phase and industrial parks will be set up at a later stage.
The Minister said China has completed several projects in Pakistan. He said all the provinces were also taken onboard regarding decisions made in Joint Coordination Committee of both the countries regarding CPEC. He said chief ministers of all the four provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan had expressed satisfaction over the decisions made in the last JCC meeting. Syed Ali Zafar said Pakistan supports China over issues of Tibet and Taiwan, while Beijing shares common views with Islamabad over Kashmir dispute.
Later, in an exclusive interview with Radio Pakistan Islamabad correspondent Bilal Mehsud, he said India is raising baseless objections on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on the excuse that this project is passing through Gilgit-Baltistan, caretaker information minister said that India instead of leveling baseless allegations on Pakistan, should stop human rights violations in occupied Kashmir.
Regarding a question about Kalabagh dam the information minister said that it is the need of the hour to think over it but consensus of all political parties is important about it. AP