PM to chair second APC in hope to reach consensus over CPEC route

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif on Thursday will chair the second All Parties Conference (APC) to discuss the route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan People s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari will not be attending the APC. 

The first APC was called on May 13 and the leaderships of the parties were given a detailed briefing on the matter. Awami National Party (ANP) president Asfanyar Wali and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman had criticized the government for neglecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Minister of Planning, National Reforms and Development Ahsan Iqbal said that the route which will lead to Gwadar via KP and Balochistan would be completed first.

As many as three different routes have been selected for the CPEC. A route from Karakorum Highway to Hassan Abdal, Peshawar motorway, Indus Highway, Dera Ismail Khan, Qilla Saifullah and Quetta. The economic corridor, from Quetta will lead to Pashin, Kalat, Sorab and via Basima it will reach Gwadar.

The road is at least 454 kilometers (Km) long which is being worked upon by the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). As many as 15 personnel have died so far in different construction-related incidents. The government is hopeful that the route would be completed by the end of 2016.

The eastern route will reach Gwadar via Indus Highway, Hawailian, Multan and Sukkur. A 110 Km road is under construction from Ratodero to Khuzdar for the completion of this route.

The third route will be the last one to be completed as there is no motorway from Multan to Karachi. However, the government has started the construction of motorway from Multan to Sukkur which is said to be completed within four years.

It is hoped that the second APC reaches a consensus over the matter as the massive project will also provide access to Afghanistan and East Asia via as many as ten different routes.