PESHAWAR: The representatives of various political parties including lawmakers belonging to southern districts have asked the federal government to implement the original plan of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Monday, they said that people of the region would launch agitation and seek help from Chinese authorities if the federal government failed to construct western route of the corridor.

The press conference was addressed by PTI MNAs Shehryar Afridi and Amirullah Marwat, Provincial Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Imtiaz Shahid, ANP leader Senator Afrasiab Khattak, Fata MNA Ghazi Gulab Jamal, PML-N provincial general secretary Rahmat Salam Khattak, Saleem Saifullah Khan, JUI-F leader Mian Nisar Gul and MPAs Malik Qasim Khan and Zareen Zai. A number of political activists from southern districts were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Afrasiab Khattak said that CPEC was incomplete without the western route.

Politicians from southern districts say they will contact Chinese govt over western route

He added that the route had significance due to its proximity with Afghanistan and other Central Asian states.

Mr Khattak said that no mega energy project, except Suki Kinari Hydro Power Project (HHP) on Kunhar River in Manshera, was initiated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under CPEC. He asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to refrain from supporting the federal government unless southern districts were given their due rights and share in CPEC.

The ANP leader said that the corridor must cover Karak, Kohat, Tank, Lakki Marwat, Hangu and Dera Ismail Khan and the existing Indus Highway should be widened.

He said that western route of CPEC should pass through southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fata and Balochistan to end a sense of deprivation among the people. He said that the entire region was adversely affected by terrorism and needed proper attention of the government.

Similarly, Saleem Saifullah said that government should focus on western route of CPEC to bring economic prosperity in the area.

He said that they would not tolerate any injustice with people, who already suffered owing to terrorism.

He threatened that people would launch agitation against the government if it failed to give due rights to southern districts.

Shehryar Afridi said on the occasion that federal government was creating misconceptions about the western route of CPEC and portraying it insecure. He said that people of southern region rendered matchless sacrifices in the ongoing war against terrorism. They should not be deprived of their due rights, he said, adding that government should give priority to western route of CPEC.

The PTI lawmaker said that government was hiding facts regarding CPEC. He said that anti-state elements would exploit the situation if government continued to discriminate against the unprivileged and backward areas.

He said that they would go to any extent and strongly agitate if rights were not given to people of southern districts. However, he said that they would hold meetings with Chinese ambassador, prime minister, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Imran Khan, chief minister and others before launching the protest movement.

Rahmat Salam Khattak said on the occasion that besides PML-N other parties including JUI, PTI and ANP were also responsible for keeping southern districts backward.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2016