PESHAWAR: The Corridor Front, a grouping of different political parties, has asked Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak to fulfil his promise by stopping the displacement of the people of Hazara division for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project or step down over failure to protect the rights of the people in the province.

Corridor Front convener Dr Said Alam Mehsud and other leaders told reporters at the Peshawar Press Club that the federal government had completely ignored Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the CPEC project and didn’t keep its commitment to construct the western route of the corridor in line with the project’s basic plan.

Accompanied by Awami Workers Party president Fanoos Gujar, ANP-Wali provincial president Farid Toofan, JUI-Nazriati chief Zubair Anjum, Fata Lawyers Forum president Rahim Shah, Mazdoor Kisan Party president Yousuf Anwar and others, he said the chief minister had taken a stand against the federal government over failure to implement the announcement it had made in multiparty conference regarding the reservations of KP.

Dr Mehsud said the commissioner of Hazara division had asked residents of Battagram district on Oct 26 to vacate houses for the CPEC’s route until Oct 28 without taking the local people into confidence to determine the price of their buildings, land properties and to compensate them.

He said the people did not vacate their houses and were ready to face all kinds of consequences so the commissioner warned them to leave houses or face the administration’s action saying it was the government’s order to acquire land for the proposed corridor.

The Corridor Front convener said the people of Battagram had announced the shutting down on the district by staging strike and holding rallies on Nov3.

“We will also participate in the protest in Battagram as the people have invited leaders of the Corridor Front to join hands with them for raising voice against injustices,” he said.

Dr Mehsud asked the CM to avoid double standard and take a stand for the rights of KP and warned if that didn’t happen, the people would lock Peshawar and Hazara divisions down.

ANP-Wali leader Farid Toofan criticised various political parties for not taking interest in the rights of the people of KP in the multibillion mega CPEC project.

He said after big public meetings of the Corridor Front in Lakki Marwat and Thakot areas, several political parties had begun raising voice against the federal government on the issue.

“The opposition parties should avoid politicising the province’s issues. They should play the due role to help the people of the province secure own rights,” he said.

Mr. Toofan asked the CM to either support the people’s rights in the CPEC project or step down.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2016