ISLAMABAD: The government will launch an `economic long march` on Aug 11 to counter the long marches announced by Imran Khan`s Tehreek-iInsaf (Aug 7) and Dr Tahirul Qadri`s Pakistan Awami Tehrik (Aug 6).

The economic march with a scorecard will feature achievements of the last two years when on Aug 11, 2014 the government had launched Vision-2025 and a roadmap for next 10 years, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said, adding that the opponents at that time werebusy in `dharna`. The slogan of economic long march will be: `Let`s work harder, better & smarter`.

In reply to a question about Chinese loan and interest to be paid on it under the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Mr Iqbal said that $35 billion out of the total $46bn would go to energy projects.

Since Chinese companies are investing in the IPP mode, there will be no interest on loan, he said, adding that though this facility was available to all private investors, none responde d.

Besides, Chinese loan for CPEC projects was available at two per cent mark-up for 20 to25 years which no other international lender offered, he said.

`Pakistan is rising and will continue to rise. We are launching a campaign `I am Rising Pakistan` in which youth of Pakistan will participate. We invite every Pakistani to become symbol of rising Pakistan,` he said.

No matter how many times Imran Khan attempted, these protests, he said, would fail because the nation was united on development and prosperity of the country. `Imran Khan played a warm-up match of dharna during AJK elections but what was the result, Mr Iqbal questioned and went on to say that not only in AJKelections but people across the country had refused to buy the opposition version and were supporting the policies of the PML-N government and its results can be seen in the elections of local bodies and bypolls in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Instead of destabilising the federal government, Imran Khan should give attention to the performance of his government in KP, the minister advised.

The country would not achieve economic prosperity unless it increased productivity, quality and innovation, he said while referring to the survey of Overseas Investors Chamber.