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Senators vow to resist any change in initial route of economic corridor
* ANP, PkMAP, PPP, PML-Q and FATA members stage walkout from Upper House * Say bypassing areas populated by Baloch a and Pakhtuns is a conspiracy
By Ijaz Kakakhel
ISLAMABAD: Opposition and coalition senators on Tuesday warned the government that they would not accept any change in route of Pak China Economic Corridor and also said that the project would fail if the initial plan were amended. Even senators belonging to Awami National Party (ANP), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), FATA members including Federal Minister Abbass Khan Afridi, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) staged walked out against the statement of federal minister for planning, reform when he said the route will not change but initially existing infrastructure would be utilized. The enraged senators also warned that amendments in initial route of the project would lead to disintegration of the country and vowed that changes would be resisted till last breath. They allegedly bypassing areas populated by Baloch and Pakhtun people is conspiracy against the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and also some parts of Punjab. Over a call attention notice, Haji Mohammad Adeel said that in initial route, backward areas of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab existed but suddenly some conspirators try to bypass these areas and change the original route over the plea of security concerns. He also claimed that the initial route is the shortest. “If any attempt made to change the route, we will resist and would not allow it”, he added saying that even the JUI-F would also not accepted any change in the initial route. Ilyas Ahma Bilor claimed that any amendment in the initial plan would lead to disintegration of the country. Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Professor Ahsan Iqbal termed the Pakistan China economic corridor as future of the country, said it will provide connectivity with the Central Asian republics and make it a regional hub for transit trade. He said the original alignment of the Corridor never changed but the government wanted to construct the route on multi-dimensional bases. “I will say categorically, there is no change in original route”, the minister told the Senate. However, the construct the route, there is need for $11 billion, saying the government don’t have such funding. In meantime, the minister said China suggested to take advantage of existing infrastructure of Pakistan (Motorway) so as to get quick results.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk