China allays concerns of Pakistan provinces over economic corridor

BEIJING: Amid reports of differences within Pakistan over the route of the $46 billion economic corridor, China today said it will push for the construction of the project in a "balanced way" that will take into account concerns of all Pakistani regions.

"The planning and building of the corridor will be open to all regions in Pakistan and the development fruits will benefit all the people there," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hu Chunying told a media briefing here.

"The Chinese side will work with Pakistan to push for the construction of the corridor in a comprehensive and balanced way, deepen all-weather friendship and all-dimensional cooperation and build the community of common destiny between China and Pakistan," she said.

Over 2000-km-long road project connecting China's Xinjiang with Pakistan's Gwadar port with highways, rail and pipelines through the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has sparked concerns among smaller provinces in Pakistan with regional parties apprehensive that its benefits will be garnered by the dominant Punjab province.

Sharif convened an all-parties conference yesterday, agreeing that the western route of the corridor would be completed first.

It will involve trade infrastructure connecting Hasan Abdal and Gwadar, passing through Mianwali, Dera Ismail Khan and Zohb, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Pakistan's political parties agreed in the conference to form a parliamentary committee to steer the project, it said.

India has conveyed its concerns over the project as it goes through the disputed PoK region.