PESHAWAR: The leaders of various political parties belonging to southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have threatened to agitate if government tries to change the original route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and exclude Kohat, Lakki Marwat and Karak from it.

After attending a jirga at the residence of PML-N provincial general secretary Rahmat Salam Khattak at Hayatabad on Thursday, the leaders of different political parties addressed a joint press conference and said that they would not accept any change in the original route of the economic corridor.

The press conference was attended by Saleem Saifullah Khan of PML-N, Shehryar Afridi of PTI, Provincial Minister Imtiaz Qureshi, Adviser to Chief Minister Malik Qasim, Sharif Khattak of ANP, Mian Nisar of JUI-F, Zafar Azam, Farid Mufakir, and Senator Abbas Afridi.

Rahmat Salam Khattak told the press conference that southern districts were generating huge revenue, mainly through oil and gas, and contributing to national economy but federal government had totally ignored them.

He said that inclusion of only Dera Ismail Khan district in CPEC was not acceptable to the people of other southern districts. They wanted that the route should be passed through Kohat, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, Karak and Dera Ismail Khan, he added.

Mr Khattak said that provincial government failed to represent the people of southern districts properly. The people of Kohat, Lakki Marwat, Bannu and Karak had decided to take united stand on the issue, he said.

“We have convened a meeting of leaders of all parties and elected representatives belonging to southern districts at Islamabad on Saturday to decide future line of action,” said Mr Khattak. He added that all the people were determined to raise voice against violation of their rights.

The PML-N leader said that the current plan of CPEC was controversial and not acceptable to the people southern districts. He also criticised JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman for adopting silence over what he called step-motherly treatment with people of his area.

He said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had no right to compromise on the rights of people without taking them into confidence. He said that Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal also failed to satisfy the people of the province during his last visit in connection with CPEC.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2016