Minister responds to CPEC master plan news

BEIJING: Minister Ahsan Iqbal responded to the Dawn story published today about the Long Term Plan (LTP) of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) saying this was a study conducted by the China Development Bank (CDB) and not the master plan as reported.

Minister for Planning, Development and Reform, Ahsan Iqbal who is in China accompanying Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a high-level delegation to attend the Belt and Road Forum, tweeted the story is 'factually incorrect' and the newspaper should have taken ministry's version.

The LTP was discussed with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China yesterday, he said adding that we couldn't release the plan without final consultation with Chinese side.

Dawn should have taken Ministry of Plng Dev & Ref version as a standard journalistic practice to not misinform citizens thru redundant docs.

— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) May 15, 2017

We couldn't release LTP without final consultation with Chinese side which was done yesterday. In race for breaking news half cooked story.

— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) May 15, 2017

CDB study referred to as Long Term Plan in Dawn story is factually incorrect. Definite angling in story to malign CPEC by promoting fears.

— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) May 15, 2017

I am appalled by Dawn Leak II. CPEC Long Term Plan story based on working docs 2 distort final draft taken up with NDRC yesterday in Beijing

— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) May 15, 2017