QUETTA: Both treasury and opposition members of the Balochistan Assembly cautioned the federal government on Thursday against making any changes in the Gwadar-Kashgar (China-Pakistan) economic corridor plan, saying such a decision would strengthen the sense of deprivation among the people of Balochistan and develop misunderstanding among provinces.

Speaking on identical adjournment motions tabled by Zamarak Khan Achakzai and Nasrullah Zeray, the members expressed the hope that the federal government would respect the resolution adopted by the house on Feb 28 on the matter. The resolution urged the centre to implement the original plan which included construction of highways on the route passing through Gwadar, Quetta, Zhob and Dera Ismail Khan.

The session was presided over by Nasrullah Zeray.

The MPAs regretted that the reported change in the route of had made the important project controversial. They termed it an unwise policy of the federal government and accused it of creating differences between Punjab and other provinces.

Those who spoke included Sardar Reza Mohammad Barach, Nawab Mohammad Khan Jogezai, Shahida Rauf, William John Barkat, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti, Samina Khan, Ruqiya Hashmi, Arifa Sadiq, Mir Asim Kurd and Husna Bano.

The members said there was ambiguity in the policy statement of the federal government as on one hand it said there was no change in the original plan, on other it announced that work on the Quetta-Zhob-Dera Ismail Khan route would be carried out in the second phase of the project.

They said any change in the original plan would affect national solidarity. Implementing the original plan would have a positive impact on backward areas of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, they added.

The lawmakers were critical of the media for what they called inadequate coverage of events and problems of Balochistan.

The chair formed a committee of parliamentary groups headed by Minister of Information Abdur Rahim Ziaratwal to discuss the matter with the management of the electronic media groups and editors of newspapers.

On points of order Zamarak Achakzai, Syed Liaquat Agha, Sardar Abdur Rehman Khetran, Jaffar Khan Mandokhel and Sardar Sanaullah Zehri said that issues of Balochistan and political activities in the province were ignored by the media.

The session was adjourned till Saturday.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2015

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