Jan 10 , 2016
News
China tells Pakistan to resolve internal differences on CPEC
* Beijing says political parties must strengthen communication and coordination to solve mutual disagreements properly and create favourable conditions for completion of CPEC
ISLAMABAD: China on Saturday took serious notice of the recent divide among different political parties in Pakistan over China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), urging them to address their difference in order to create favourable conditions for the completion of the project.
“We hope that relevant parties could strengthen communication and coordination and solve differences properly so as to create favorable conditions for the CPEC,” a statement issued by the Chinese embassy in Islamabad said.
“We are ready to work with Pakistani side to actively promote construction of CPEC projects, and bring tangible benefits to the people of the two countries,” the statement said.
The spokesman further said that the multi-billion dollar project is the result of a consensus reached between China and Pakistan, and has won popular support from the people of the two countries. “CPEC benefits Pakistan as a whole and will bring development and benefits to the people of the country,” he maintained.
On Thursday, an all-parties conference called by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) decided to approach Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to convey their reservations on the CPEC. The conference, attended by ruling PTI, JUI-F, PkMAP, QWP, ANP and PML-Q, maintained that the western route of CPEC was not according to the declaration at the APC convened by the prime minister on May 28 last year. It urged the federal government to provide details about the timeline and locations of the economic or industrial zones that would be constructed under the CPEC. “We are not against CPEC. All political parties of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will support the federal government on the project provided that KP gets its due right.”
Earlier on Saturday, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said the government has addressed the reservations of all parliamentary parties of Balochistan regarding CPEC’s western route. He said Balochistan government has also assured full support in completion of the project. The statement by the Chinese embassy comes a day after reports surfaced that Pakistan was mulling to elevate the constitutional status of Gilgit-Baltistan region in a bid to provide legal cover to the CPEC. “China cannot afford to invest billions of dollars on a road that passes through a disputed territory claimed both by India and Pakistan,” an official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk