Viral video of Chinese official complaining to PM Shehbaz about CPEC project delays

Rating Justification

The iVerify Pakistan team investigated this content and determined that it is misleading.

To reach this conclusion, iVerify Pakistan conducted a reverse image search and keyword search to find news reports on the incident.

Posts from Indian users and PTI supporters on various social media platforms since September 4, 2025, shared a video allegedly showing a Chinese official complaining to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif about delays in a project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), claiming that it was a recent development. However, the clip is old and dates back to June 24, 2022.

PM Shehbaz visited China at the beginning of September 2025 for a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Addressing Chinese business leaders at a Pak-China business conference on Sept 4, he had acknowledged delays in CPEC projects and assured that Pakistan would not tolerate any further hindrances in supporting Chinese companies.

HOW IT STARTED

An Indian account shared video on Sept 4 on Instagram showing PM Shehbaz and his delegation in a meeting with a Chinese official.

In the video, the Chinese official is seen expressing concern over delays in CPEC projects.

The text overlaid on the video reads: “China to Pakistan: ‘Where has our money gone?’ Chinese official confronts Shehbaz Sharif, complaining that despite funds being transferred to Pakistan government, no progress has been made on CPEC in the last three years.”

The post was shared with the following caption:

“What’s Pakistan’s global image today? Global level insult: Pakistan once again finds itself under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Despite receiving billions in aid and loans, questions are being raised internationally about where the money has actually gone. With CPEC projects stalled and promises unfulfilled, Pakistan is being mocked as the world’s “begging bowl” and a black hole for funds. What was meant to be an economic lifeline has instead turned into a global embarrassment, highlighting corruption, mismanagement, and a lack of accountability.”

The post gained over 73,000 likes.

The same video was shared by a user on X, who appeared to be a PTI supporter based on his previous posts, on Sept 9.

The caption of the post said: “Chinese official asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sternly. Where has our money gone? China has expressed serious reservations over delays in CPEC projects. It was stated that despite funds and feasibility being completed, work has not started for three years. The Chinese delegation declared the delay unacceptable.”

This post gained over 280,000 views and 4,300 reshares.

The post was reshared by former anchorperson Sabir Shakir with the following caption: “China has now begun to publicly reveal the loot and plunder group.”

His post gained over 94,000 views and 2,900 reshares.

The video was also shared by a user, who appeared to be Indian based on his past posts, on LinkedIn with a similar caption.

The post also provided a transcript of PM Shehbaz’s conversation with the Chinese official.

Digital media outlet FHM Pakistan also shared the same video with a similar claim on Facebook, where it gained 44,000 views.

The same video with similar claims was shared on other social media platforms such as Instagram here, here and here and on Facebook here and here.

Notably, none of the posts mentioned or provided any details on when and where the interaction occurred, but posited it as being a recent development.

METHODOLOGY:

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its high virality and keen public interest in matters related to CPEC projects and Pak-China relations.

A keyword search yielded a YouTube video by Capital TV dated June 24, 2022, with the following title: “PM Shehbaz Sharif says sorry to Chinese representative.”

The video shows PM Shehbaz with a delegation, including Ahsan Iqbal and others, speaking with a Chinese official.

The transcript of the video is provided below:

Chinese representative: The brick coverter, already the feasibility study is already done when honourable Professor Iqbal is there and unfortunately it’s delayed, even the money is ready by the time provided by China.

PM Shehbaz: Money is there?

Chinese representative: Yeah, it’s a soft loan from China.

Ahsan Iqbal: For four years, they did not take up. The money was there and the previous government just did not bother.

PM Shehbaz: And money is lying?

Ahsan Iqbal: Yeah, money is lying.

PM Shehbaz: This is so unjust

Unknown person: The cost is going to go up, as you know.

PM Shehbaz: And the first instalment is there?

Chinese representative: The money is already there and the feasibility study is there. And the problem is just to make the process.

PM Shehbaz: And when was the study completed?

Chinese representative: It’s not a study, it’s a feasibility study. The feasibility study is already done.

PM Shehbaz: When?

Chinese representative: It’s already done three years ago.

PM Shehbaz: Three years ago?

Chinese representative: Yeah. When the professor is there.

PM Shehbaz: Just imagine, what could be more unjust and unfair to the nation than this. Funds are available, feasibility study … This is very sad and unacceptable. Sorry, we will do it.

The coalition government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement came into power in April 2022 after a vote of no-confidence ousted the PTI regime. PM Shehbaz became the premier at the time.

The interaction in the video occurred on June 24, 2022, whereas the Chinese official’s complaints went back three years. The timeframe mentioned in his complaint, along with the discussion PM Shehbaz can be seen having with Iqbal, wherein they can be seen condemning the delay caused by the previous government, makes it clear that the conversation was referring to the PTI government, which came into power in August 2018, and not the PML-N government that was formed after the February 2024 general elections.

This is also apparent from the LinkedIn post that shared a transcript of the conversation, including the part where PM Shehbaz criticised the previous government, and yet despite that, the post misrepresented the video’s context.

Checking the web archive of English media outlet The Express Tribune yielded an article dated June 24, 2022, with the following headline: “PM Shehbaz announces Rs100bn development package for Balochistan”.

According to the report, the prime minister visited Gwadar on that day and reviewed development projects in the city. The report also featured a photo of PM Shehbaz, Iqbal and then-Balochistan chief minister Mir Quddus Bizenjo in the same clothing as the viral video.

Comparing the photo of the visit in the article with the screenshot of the viral video showed that they were indeed wearing the same clothes.

Checking the information ministry’s Press Information Department (PID) archive yielded photos from June 24, 2022, showing PM Shehbaz visiting Gwadar and meeting Chinese representatives. The picture below shows PM Shehbaz being welcomed by Zhang Baozhong, chairman of the China Overseas Ports Holding Company Pakistan (Private) Limited (COPHC), who also appears in the viral video speaking with the premier.

FACT-CHECK STATUS: MISLEADING

The claim that a viral video shows a Chinese official complaining to PM Shehbaz about delays in CPEC projects, and that it is a recent development, is misleading.

The video is old from June 2022 and shows the COPHC chairman complaining to the prime minister about delays since the time of the previous PTI government.

Evidence and References

June 24, 2022, Capital TV YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0XdwETHB0w

June 24, 2022, The Express Tribune news report:
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2363137/pm-shehbaz-announces-rs100b-development-package-for-balochistan

June 24, 2022, Press Information Department photo archive:
https://pid.gov.pk/site/photo_filter/2022-06-240