QUETTA: Members of the Balochistan assembly urged the federal government on Thursday not to change the master plan of Pak-China economic corridor.

They warned that if the plan was modified to construct a highway between Gwadar and Kashgar it would create unrest in Balochistan.

Speaking on a joint resolution, Syed Liaquat Agha, the mover, said that although Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal had held out an assurance during a briefing to MNAs Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Maulana Fazlur Rehman on the issue, it appeared the commitment may not be honoured.

The resolution stated that the route between Gwadar and Kashgar via Khuzdar, Quetta, Zhob and Dera Ismail Khan was not only short but would cost less, therefore, to construct it through Punjab would be long and expensive.

According to the resolution, the master plan was viable to develop backward areas and it would facilitate access for Pakistani trade with Central Asian States via Afghanistan.

Mr Agha said the people of Balochistan had no objection if the route was extended to Punjab later to benefit other parts of the country, but warned “if sentiments of our people are ignored it will create complications and hatred”.

Akhtar Mengal told the assembly that the government should take indigenous population into confidence before planning mega projects.

He said it should tell the people whether the project had been initiated to benefit the natives or it was carried out for exploitation of resources of the province. The Gwadar-Kashgar route would not benefit the Baloch people, he said.

“We have no interest in original or modified plans as the project will benefit the rich and deprive poor people of Balochistan of their resources,” he said.

The house will continue discussion on the resolution on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2015

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