ISLAMABAD, Aug 20 (INP): Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday directed authorities to expedite work on half a dozen projects of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that have been facing significant delays.

The premier took a detailed briefing on the delayed energy and infrastructure projects of the multi-billion dollar CPEC.

The strategic initiative came to almost a grinding halt during past one year due to reservations expressed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) cabinet and enhanced fiscal controls under the $6 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

The change in government’s priorities has also put the jobs of around 50 employees at stake who are currently working under CPEC Support Secretariat Project and CPEC Centre of Excellence. Their fate hangs in balance after the government decided to set up a CPEC Authority.

The premier was given a briefing on the status of 300MW Gwadar Power Plant, 1100MW Kohala Power Plant, $9 billion ML-I project of the CPEC, the Eastbay Expressway, Gwadar Master Plan and pending tax concessions for Gwadar Free Zone.

The sources said that the premier expressed a resolve to address all the pending issues that have delayed implementation of the CPEC and asked the bureaucracy to address the bottlenecks at the earliest.