PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party has formed a seven-member committee on matters related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Afrasaib Khattak will head the committee and Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, Zahid Khan, Bushra Gohar, Daud Khan and Khushal Khattak will be its members, said a news release issued by the ANP here on Monday.

Also in the day, the ANP expressed concern about the steps taken by the federal government for the implementation of the CPEC project and declared them a ‘blatant violation’ of the decisions taken by the May 2014‘All-Party Conference’ held in Islamabad.

In a statement issued by here by Bacha Khan Markaz Peshawar, ANP spokesman Zahid Khan said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had promised ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan that the federal government would announce the construction of a major road to connect the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with the CPEC route.

Says PM not fulfilling promises made to Asfandyar on CPEC

“The prime minister had also promised to announce the construction of a main road from Bajaur Agency to South Waziristan Agency and linking of it with the CPEC route, but we have not heard anything so far about these promises,” he said.

Mr Zahid said questions were being raised on the steps being taken by the federal government for the CPEC project’s implementation as they’re a blatant violation of the decisions of the May 2014 APC.

The ANP spokesperson asked the federal and provincial governments to remove reservations of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fata and Balochistan about the mega project.

He said the prime minister should highlight progress on the implementation of his directives issued on Nov 27, 2015, about the acquisition of land for a six lane route for the CPEC western alignment and upgrade of the DI Khan-Mughal Kot-Zhob section to four lanes.

Mr Zahid said the prime minister had also directed the relevant authorities to provide additional funds from the Public Sector Development Programme for the purpose besides identifying sites for future industrial zones.

He said the committee appointed by the prime minister was supposed to report back to him on the matter within 15 days but there was no word on it.

The ANP spokesman said since the CPEC was a project of national importance involving the interests of all federating units and regions of the country, it should have been discussed at forums like the Council of Common Interest to address concerns of stakeholders.

He said both federal and provincial governments had failed to raise and discuss the issue at the CCI.

Mr Zahid said the ANP questioned the CPEC project’s transparency and said the government had failed to maintain the required level of transparency about the financial provisions, industrial and energy projects included in the project.

“This is a major source of concern and anxiety in the minds of the general public and observers,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2016