Pak team reaches without homework for JCC meet in Beijing

Islamabad [Pakistan], Dec 20 (ANI): Pakistan's federal minister for Planning, Development and Reforms, Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, and his delegation led by chief ministers of Sindh and Gilgit Baltistan have reached Beijing "without enough homework", said Pakistani media.
The delegation has reached China for the 8th meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) scheduled for Thursday to discuss various investment proposals for the said JCC meet, but the officials have prepared no considerable proposals which could have attracted Chinese investment.
Pakistan Today quoted sources saying, "The list of projects, which would be proposed for consideration in the JCC meeting, appears to consist of grant proposals rather than investment proposals," said an insider, adding that in the agricultural sector, the ministry was going to ask China to train at least 2,600 farmers.
"How giving training to people could be considered a major investment proposal? The other projects related to water sanitation and agriculture sectors were also not attractive for Chinese investment," sources said.
During the meeting, the two sides will discuss upgradation of the main railway line from Peshawar to Karachi, an extension of Thakot-Raikot section of Karakoram Highway (KKH) and construction of a new international airport at Gwadar. The establishment of a hospital and a technical education school and a power plant in Gwadar will also be discussed.
Unfortunately, the lack of coordination among ministries, departments and provinces were the major reasons behind proposals which may not impress China in the JCC meet, said sources.
The apex body of CPEC will also review progress on ongoing projects and identify new initiatives in socio-economic development, industrial cooperation, Gwadar, transport and energy, said a release issued by the ministry for Planning, Development and Reforms.
China is investing billions of dollars to construct an economic corridor from Pakistan, which will give access to Central Asia and Europe. The corridor passes through a disputed territory of Gilgit Baltistan, a part of erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which remains a matter of conflict between India and China. (ANI)