Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump this month, has issued a warning regarding Chinese projects before his US visit. This is a surprising developments, as Pakistani Prime Minister is threatening on Chinese projects. In warning words, Shahbaz Sharif said that China is a great friend and brother of Pakistan, but China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the last chance for Pakistan to benefit from Chinese investment and expertise. He also warned against the delay in the long -running CPEC project.
Presiding over a high-level meeting in Islamabad, Shahbaz Sharif warned the ministries and departments that no delay would be tolerated in projects worth more than $ 8 billion under CPEC-2. He stressed that the success of the Pakistan-China B2B Summit and the agreements made should not be limited to papers only, but should be converted into joint venture contracts to convert Chinese investment into reality.
Warning against Chinese investment in Pakistan
Shahbaz Sharif told the government departments associated with the CPEC project that no negligence or unnecessary delays would be tolerated and contrary to the past, no project should be delayed. He said that China has agreed to start the CPEC 2.0 program, which will focus on investing in agriculture, special economic fields, mines and minerals and upgrading the Karakoram highway. The Prime Minister warned that China remains a “great friend and brother” of Pakistan, but this is the last chance to take advantage of Chinese expertise and investment. He urged the ministries to work with full force to ensure success and emphasized that the government is accountable to the public and is responsible for the results.
He said, “If we fail to take advantage of this opportunity, history will never forgive us.” The Prime Minister also recalled his recent visit to China, where he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin and met President Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Lee Kekiang and other world leaders. He appreciated the role of officers in organizing the Pakistan-China B2B investment summit held in Beijing on 4 September, where an agreement of $ 8.5 billion was signed.
