MPs rejects establishment of CPEC Authority

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 Advanced issues found

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ISLAMABAD: The Parliamentary Committee on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has unanimously rejected the establishment of CPEC Authority, giving a big jolt to the government’s plan to bring the whole CPEC related work under one umbrella.

The Parliamentary Panel on CPEC met under the chairmanship of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf MNA Sher Ali Arbab at the Parliament House on Thursday. The members expressed their concerns over the CPEC Authority having a chairman with the powers of Principle Accounting Officer would have a direct conflict with Secretary Planning.

The CPEC Authority with five to six members would have the strength just like Planning Commission so there is no need of duplication of institutions and ministries. It was also told by the Planning Commission that the CPEC Authority would identify projects to bring them under the umbrella of CPEC but it was pointed out that it was the domain of the ministry concerned to identify and then brought it at a joint working group with the Chinese side.

“The Planning Commission high-ups could not convince the parliamentarians why this CPEC Authority is necessary to run the CPEC related projects,” a committee member said.

He added, the Planning Commission argued that the CPEC would now move towards business-to-business contacts with Chinese side so they were asked to strengthen the ministries concerned.

The issue was then put up for a vote by the chairman of the parliamentary panel before the committee members who unanimously rejected establishment of CPEC Authority.

Originally published in The News