ISLAMABAD:Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has rejected the perception that China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a 'debt trap'. Talking to international media here in Islamabad on Wednesday, he said stories are made to create propaganda in global geopolitics of competition. The Minister said wherever BRI has gone; the local people can testify that it has had a very positive impact.
He appreciated China for extending BRI to Pakistan in the shape of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that has given Pakistan a great opportunity in areas of energy, infrastructure, telecommunication, industrial cooperation and in unlocking hidden treasures like the Thar Coal Project. Ahsan Iqbal said Gwadar Port City is set to become a major trade and commerce hub in the region with its Free Zone and investment from Chinese companies. He said goods can be shipped to China through Gwadar in almost one-tenth the distance from the South China Sea.