PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has conveyed concerns to  federal government about several aspects missing from the draft of long term plan (LTP) of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, including western and northern routes, Sino-Pak trade imbalance and water resource management. LTP 2017 is a national plan approved by both Chinese and Pak governments and would remain effective till 2030. Its’ short and medium term aspects would be operative until 2020 and 2025, respectively. Officials said LTP draft was shared with KP government seeking comments and suggestion on plan’s various aspects. However, the government was given only 5 days to review the plan and offer comments. Time allowed for envisioning holistically and offering comprehensive comments on LTP for such a significant ‘game changer’ with far reaching effects is extremely limited. A federal government official said this while high lighting concerns over plan’s missing links. KP government shared its 11 page interim response with federal government. The response, offers critique of various parts of 30 page LTP. In its LTP appraisal, KP government pointed out that plan’s connectivity chapter was silent about western route being undertaken by federal government and northern route (three passages), of which one passage had been accepted by CPEC joint coordination committee. Regarding second northern route, it noted that entire CPEC trade was based on a single passage (Haripur to Khunjerab), which passes through world’s most difficult terrain. `From a strategic point of view, it noted that a fully functional back-up route is needed from first Gilgit to Mardan, second from Bisham to Alupur and third from Besham to Mardan. Besides, it pointed out that the document also misses Indus Highway connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia through KP, besides failing to integrate FATA with rest of Pakistan. It noted that document only mentions Chinese key functional zones, while Pakistan’s key functional zones are not mentioned. LTP is a Pakistani document and needs to state its needs properly, it added. Chapter concerning industries and industrial parks, said Pakistan’s important economic zones, other than Gwadar Free Trade Area, need to be mentioned and failure to treat the subject properly may lead to miscarriage of development. In KP, promotion of Hattar, Rashakai and Dera Ismail Khan special economic zones would contribute to Pakistan`s economic growth. It also points out that LTP pays inadequate attention to mining sector, which is important for both KP and Balochistan. The document went on to note that the northern tourism belt centered around KP and GB. Development of northern routes is not mentioned in LTP, while in energy sector, development of oil and gas sectors also needed to be addressed. The document said trade imbalance between China and Pakistan needs mentioning in LTP. It proposed that under industrial collaboration, those industries need to be set up that aim at import substitution in Pakistan and on making Pakistan an export hub. It also suggested developing floriculture saying KP has immense potential for it and flower exports will have an excellent brand image of Pakistan. The document also asked for a 5 years plan for Pak-China economic cooperation, industry regulations, time for opening financial institutions, inclusion of dairy sector and dispute resolution mechanism to resolve commercial disputes with simple laws. KP government also proposed a second fiber optic cable route in north running from KP to Gwadar, to provide an alternative connectivity to Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia. It said LTP needs to define core and radiation zones where parts of Punjab, KP, Baluchistan and GB are included as core zones and country’s areas f all under radiation zones.  It said the documents did not adequately foresee growth potential in KP’s urban economic centers and therefore, towns of Abbottabad, Nowshera and Mardan etc need to be mentioned as nodes. Being dead on CPEC route, these will see exponential growth, it added.