# Pakistan to welcome Iran, Saudi Arabia on joining CPEC: Ahsan Iqbal



## Blackmoon

*ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal said on Friday that Iran and Saudi Arabia’s desire to join China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework was a good step and Pakistan would welcome their involvement.*

“We will welcome both the brotherly Islamic countries if they want to be part of CPEC,” he told APP here.
Pakistan, he said, would also welcome and appreciate any friendly country which desired to participate in the multi-billion gigantic flagship project of “One Road One Belt” initiative launched by Chinese President, Xi Jining.
He said, CPEC, a trans-regional project, would benefit three billion people of the region through enhanced regional connectivity with Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces of the country to play instrumental role integrating the whole region.

It is a 15-year long project to be completed in 2030 by focusing on infrastructure development, Gwadar Sea Port, Energy and Industrial Cooperation, he added.
Terming CPEC as one the best and transparent projects where no transaction is directly made to government, he said that US$ 35 billion were to be utilized by the energy sector in the form of private sector investment while rest of the US$ 11 billion investment had to be made by the Chinese companies in the infrastructure sector under concessional financing mode.

About Western route of the CPEC, he said, work on Western Corridor was progressing in full swing and reaffirmed that the route would be completed by 2018.
He informed that 650 kilometers long Gwadar-Quetta section of the Western Route would be completed by December 2016.
Furthermore, he added that making this route operational Gwadar would get connected with not only to Quetta but also to Afghanistan.
With the completion of Western route, people living in the underdeveloped areas would witness new era of development and prosperity.

The Minister reinforced commitment of the government that the road projects on western passage were being given top priority.
The Government was funding the road projects on western route through Federal Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), Chinese financing and also through Asian Development Bank (ADB), he added.
He said that construction work on D.I.Khan – Hakla 285 Km Motorway fully funded through PSDP had already commenced by completing all the requirements including feasibility, design, land acquisition and approval in the shortest possible time.
He said that the connectivity of Gwadar to the national highway network will be established with completion of N-85 and M-8 highway projects by December, 2016 which also forms part of the western corridor alignment. The M-8 section Gwadar – Turbat -Hoshab (193 Km) has already been completed. M-8 project was approved in March, 1999 and N-85 in 2007 but these road projects remained un-completed till the pace of work on these projects was fast tracked by the present Government from 2013 onwards.
With the completion of these projects, Gwadar Port will be connected to the national highway network.

Ahsan Iqbal said that reconstruction of 110 km long Khuzdar – Basima road project was approved by the ECNEC on 26-05-2011, however, no physical work was initiated on the project.
The Khuzdar-Basima road project has been included as a short term project in CPEC Transport Plan by the present Government and construction work will commence soon by NHA. –APP
http://www.samaa.tv/pakistan/2016/0...ran-saudi-arabia-on-joining-cpec-ahsan-iqbal/

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## tarrar

Ahsan Iqbal is a brainless jabroni, both KSA & Iran will only damage CPEC as they only love to serve there own interest.


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## American Pakistani

Peace and economic prosperity in Pakistan is equally benificial for both Iran and Saudi Arabia. They can get a massive market of more than 200 Million people.



tarrar said:


> Ahsan Iqbal is a brainless jabroni, both KSA & Iran will only damage CPEC as they only love to serve there own interest.



Think positive, get positive.

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## Pakistani E

tarrar said:


> Ahsan Iqbal is a brainless jabroni, both KSA & Iran will only damage CPEC as they only love to serve there own interest.



This thinking will definitely isolate Pakistan, Iran and KSA are friendly towards us. I am more against their governments then anyone else here, but I think Pakistan should further seek to improve our ties with KSA and Iran. It is in our interest to have friendly relations with as many neighbours as possible.

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## Taimoor Khan

Let them use our territory to export their oil to China and pay us transit fee, Bob is your uncle. Everyone happy, except uncle Sam.

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## Azadkashmir

give the heyenas some meat for stress free return, otherwise they act like they have to interefere indirectly. .

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## خره مينه لګته وي

Iran + Saudia both are willing to become a part of CPEC..Win win situation for all

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## LA se Karachi

I hope this happens. They will probably primarily use it for oil (and gas for Iran), at least initially. But either way, Pakistan will benefit

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## Green Ranger

too many cooks spoil the broth


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## haviZsultan

Perhaps the inclusion of both Iran and Saudi will help diffuse tensions between them though I do not think both are really interested in joining and think this is merely lip service. If the deal somehow succeeds it will be a big victory not only for Pakistan but Muslim unity.

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## Hyde

tarrar said:


> Ahsan Iqbal is a brainless jabroni, both KSA & Iran will only damage CPEC as they only love to serve there own interest.


How would they damage CPEC if the entire investment is supposed to be made in Pakistan.

What he is indirectly asking for is more foreign investment with similar incentives to Iran and Saudi Arabia. China will help build industrial zones and may set up some industries on the way but we need more partners to establish their industries from both local and internationally and further enhance the cooperation with friendly nations.

Nothing wrong in it but only if Iran and Saudis are interested in investing more in Pakistan

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## volatile

tarrar said:


> Ahsan Iqbal is a brainless jabroni, both KSA & Iran will only damage CPEC as they only love to serve there own interest.


You might want to go thru his profile once to understand what he is talking about 

"
He attended the Cantt Public School in Karachi and PAF Public School in Sargodha where he matriculated from.[6] Upon graduating, he attended the Government College University (GCU) but made a transfer to University of Engineering and Technology (UET) to study engineering in 1976.[6] At UET, he was active in student politics, having been elected as President of the Students Union in1980–81 on the behalf of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba. In 1981, he graduated with a BSc in Mechanical engineering from UET.[6] Upon graduating, he went to work with a Millat Tractors Co.— a manufacturers of Massey Ferguson in Pakistan— joined as their chief mechanical engineer.[6] despite being a fresh graduate student without any experience.

In 1984, Iqbal resigned from Millat Tractors Co. to attend the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania for the MBA program"


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## PAKISTANFOREVER

The Saudis and Iranians are both welcome...............


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## alibaz

Yes both are welcome as brothers but they should leave their politics back in their countries. Having interests of both countries should have good impact on the region.


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## Talwar e Pakistan

tarrar said:


> Ahsan Iqbal is a brainless jabroni, both KSA & Iran will only damage CPEC as they only love to serve there own interest.


You're are brainless for saying that...

Without Gulf Countries and Iran, CPEC is not complete. Why? because one of the reasons the project was initiated was to import oil and gas.

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## Lucky Breeze

tarrar said:


> Ahsan Iqbal is a brainless jabroni, both KSA & Iran will only damage CPEC as they only love to serve there own interest.


CPEC is purely a business not brotherhood and every country serves its own interests


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## tarrar

Talwar e Pakistan said:


> You're are brainless for saying that...
> 
> Without Gulf Countries and Iran, CPEC is not complete. Why? because one of the reasons the project was initiated was to import oil and gas.



Keep in mind, Iran & India are on one page to destabilize Pakistan & to counter Gawadar port they are working on Chabhar port. Apart from that, arresting of Yadav is a proof on Iran facilitating Indian agents against Pakistan. UAE is already against Gawadar port & both UAE & India are on one page against Gawadar port.

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## Riz

It will be a lot better for India to be in camp with russia China and Pakistan and benifit with cpec , really we should keep this war shitt out of south Asia and should follow the example of europian countries


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## New Resolve

This might even help reduce tensions between SA and Iran and allow us to be a better mediator


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## Azadkashmir

tarrar said:


> Keep in mind, Iran & India are on one page to destabilize Pakistan & to counter Gawadar port they are working on Chabhar port. Apart from that, arresting of Yadav is a proof on Iran facilitating Indian agents against Pakistan. UAE is already against Gawadar port & both UAE & India are on one page against Gawadar port.




so shouldnt pak invite both leaders over and give them grilling questions to answer with china leaders as witness.
we should bring up thier past proven histories of direct/indirect intereference and to get them to be more upfront if they want cpec for real or it just ummah games.

This should be public discussion with mature intel audince and cameras for th record.

then thier is nawaz sharif = saudi cuzin. then thier ummah stabbers such as qatar,dubai,etc.

hey we got azerbiajan n turkey to squeeze some of them.


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## Shotgunner51

Good news!


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