Islamabad forms panel to oversee China-Pakistan project

A consultative meeting of Pakistan's senior political leaders decided on Friday to form a steering committee headed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to oversee the implementation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

It was decided that all the four provincial chief ministers would be included in the committee, which would meet every three months to review the progress of the mega project.

All participants reaffirmed their complete support to the project and agreed that the new institutional framework will be able to better accommodate the regional concerns in future, an official statement said.

The prime minster's office said the meeting was convened to "share information with and address the reservations of political parties and government of Khyber Pakhunkhwa regarding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor," the statement said.

A cell will be created in the ministry of planning, Ddevelopment and reform for coordination and information sharing with the provinces, the statement said.

The corridor aims to connect Pakistan with China via a network of highways, railways and pipelines.