Exclusive | China ‘can count on Pakistan’ for key infrastructure project whoever wins election

Pakistani envoy Abdul Qadir Memon says the outcome of a general election won’t affect Islamabad’s support for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

Reading Time:3 minutes

Pakistani Consul General Abdul Qadir Memon says the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is popular in Pakistan for bringing much needed infrastructure. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 9:00pm, 25 Jul 2018Updated: 1:31am, 26 Jul 2018

Whatever the election outcome, Pakistan’s next government will remain committed to the country’s ongoing infrastructure projects with China despite concerns over rising debt levels, Pakistan’s consulate general in Hong Kong said on Wednesday.

“The new government, when they will start deliberations with mainland China, are going to receive assurances about the continuity of the policies on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which will be given – I have no doubts about it,” Pakistani Consul General Abdul Qadir Memon said.

Voting began in the general election on Wednesday morning and Imran Khan, leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI), was on track to be the country’s next prime minister.

Khan has been critical of the US$62 billion in Chinese infrastructure projects planned for Pakistan, and has wielded the programme to criticise former prime minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), who was jailed last month on corruption charges.

Imran Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Movement for Justice party, speaks during a campaign rally in Lahore, Pakistan, on Friday. Photo: Asad Zaidi/Bloomberg

But the PTI and other leading parties all showed support for the CPEC in the run-up to the election, and Khan has praised China as an example for his country to lift people out of poverty.