February 20, 2022
2 mins read

CPEC panel surrenders 20 acres Gwadar land occupied by Pak Navy

Back in February 2021, the CPEC Committee had directed different ministries to get 72 acres of prime Gwadar land vacated…reports Asian Lite News

A cabinet committee on Pakistan’s CPEC project has surrendered 20 acres of prime land in the port city of Gwadar in favour of its Navy after they refused to vacate the land citing “security reasons”.

Besides this, the CPEC committee again told Pakistan Navy to vacate another 52 acres of land, said The Express Tribune newspaper report. It added that occupation was hampering work on Gwadar Port.

The land currently in possession of the Navy is part of the concessional agreement that country signed in November 2015 with China Overseas Port Holdings Company Limited (COPHCL). Earlier, the CPEC committee had not accepted Pakistan Navy’s plea, requesting permission to keep 20 acres of land.

Pakistan’s Planning Minister Asad Umar told The Express Tribune that “until the Chinese contractors agreed, the land could not be given to Pakistan Navy.”

Balochistan’s Gwadar Pic credits IANS

Back in February 2021, the CPEC Committee had directed different ministries to get 72 acres of prime Gwadar land vacated.

According to the Pakistani newspaper, the delay in getting the land vacated slowed down work on projects that were very critical for the full functioning of Gwadar Port.

In 2015, China announced an economic project in Pakistan worth USD 46 billion. With the CPEC, Beijing aims to expand its influence in Pakistan and across Central and South Asia in order to counter the influence of the United States and India.

The CPEC project would link Pakistan’s southern Gwadar port in Balochistan on the Arabian Sea to China’s western Xinjiang region.

Recently, Pakistan’s Senate Standing Committee sought the equal representation of all the provinces in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) authority and expressed concerns that there was a sense of “deprivation” among the provinces about the CPEC projects.

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development, chaired by Saleem Mandviwala of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), expressed its concerns while discussing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Express Tribune reported.

PPP Senator Sherry Rehman deplored the sense of “deprivation” among the provinces about the projects related to CPEC. Rehman stressed that coordination with the provinces on CPEC projects was crucial, the Pakistani newspaper reported.

It further reported that Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on CPEC Khalid Mansoor, while sharing details of the CPEC deals made with the Chinese companies, said that provinces were involved in Joint Working Groups (JWGs). Mansoor further said that the provinces were being provided equal facilities under the current framework.

Mandviwala stressed that the representatives of the provinces should also be included in the CPEC authority. “Why do you object to the due representation of provinces in the CPEC Authority?” he asked, according to The Express Tribune.

In 2015, China announced an economic project in Pakistan worth USD 46 billion. With the CPEC, Beijing aims to expand its influence in Pakistan and across Central and South Asia in order to counter the influence of the United States and India.

The CPEC project would link Pakistan’s southern Gwadar port in Balochistan on the Arabian Sea to China’s western Xinjiang region. (ANI)

ALSO READ: ‘CPEC to be opposed tooth and nail’

Previous Story

Tunisia extends state of emergency until the end of 2022

Next Story

INSV TARINI: THE VESSEL OF HOPE FOR INDIAN WOMEN

Latest from -Top News

Pakistan’s Shadow War in Balochistan

At least 50 killed by Pakistan-backed death squads in Balochistan in April, says HRCB — toll expected to rise in May….reports Asian Lite News The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) reported

Russia, Ukraine Resume Talks

The upcoming talks follow a significant hiatus in diplomatic engagement between the two nations, which have been locked in a brutal conflict since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 Russia and

UN Pays Tribute to Indian Soldiers

Thursday was observed as the 77th UN Peacekeepers Day, honouring the work of 61,353 peacekeepers, of whom 5,375 hailed from India….reports Asian Lite News Brigadier Amitabh Jha and Havildar Sanjay Singh, who

Modi’s New Warfare Playbook

Modi has upended the old playbook and India and Pakistan are entering dangerous new territory where nuclear deterrence is no longer a guarantee against conventional conflict…writes Collins Chong Yew Keat The India-Pakistan
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Human Rights: China Faces Heat at Universal Periodic Review

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a peer-review process under

Hong Kong Palace Museum opens to public

About 80 per cent of the around 140,000 tickets for