PESHAWAR: Corridor Front, a group of various political parties and civil society organisations, has said that another all-party conference would be aimed to deprive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of its due share in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Addressing a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Monday, Corridor Front convener Dr Said Alam Mehsud said that Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had proposed around nine projects in a meeting of Pakistan-China Joint Cooperation Committee at China but he failed to get approve a single scheme.

He said that demands of other provinces were accepted in the JCC meeting but Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister failed even to arrange a presentation for raising demands.

Dr Mehsud said that it was ironic that the chief minister was then demanding convening another all-party conference on CPEC. He said that during the previous all-party conferences, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made many commitments but did not fulfil them.

Corridor Front says CM wants to hide his failure

Flanked by ANP-W leader Farid Toofan, Khybr Pakhtunkhwa Olasi Tehreek representative Farzana Zain and others, Dr Mehsud said that the joint resolutions unanimously endorsed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on CPEC had become victims of the alleged deal between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Pervez Khattak.

He said that federal government was not interested to convene APC but it was proposed by Pervez Khattak to garner support of all opposition political parties on the crucial issue.

He said that prime minister was constitutionally, legally and morally bound to materialise the decisions taken in the last two APCs on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor .

Dr Mehsud said that holding a third APC was aimed to hide the failure of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, who failed to get approved a single project during JCC meeting at Beijing. He said some pro-government parties in parliamentarian would also support the stance of Mr Khattak.

Dr Mehsud said that it was ironical that PTI didn’t accept Nawaz Sharif as prime minister and boycotted his speech to joint session of parliament during the visit of Turkish President. “However, PTI leaders avoid blaming the prime minister for usurping rights of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor . It proves difference in words and deeds of chief minister and Imran Khan,” he added.

Dr Mehsud said that Corridor Front would strongly protest against the ‘conspiracy’ against Pakhtun belt. “We will inform all politicians and civil society organisations about the existing factual situation and then launch protest movement against government,” he added.

He said that Corridor Front would also hold protest demonstrations, rallies and corner meetings against injustice with Pakhtuns.

Published in Dawn January 24th, 2017