QUETTA: Both treasury and opposition members in the Balochistan Assembly have expressed serious concern over what they called very less share of the province in projects launched under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and through a resolution demanded of the federal government to form a national commission to look into the alleged unjust distribution of CPEC projects.

The resolution was moved by opposition member Sana Baloch in the assembly’s session on Friday evening. The session was presided over by Deputy Speaker Sardar Babar Khan Musakhail.

The resolution said that $62 billion investment was made under the CPEC, but Balochistan was completely ignored by the authorities concerned. It said such an attitude would increase the sense of deprivation among the people of Balochistan.

It said that the federal government should provide complete details about the CPEC and ensure Balochistan’s rights in the mega project according to the province’s territorial size

Centre asked to form national commission to look into alleged unjust distribution of mega projects

Speaking on the resolution, Mr Baloch said that Balochistan had its own important, but unfortunately, it had always been ignored by the centre. The province had never been given its due share in national resources, he added.

He said that at the time of the launching of the CPEC it was said that with the completion of this project Pakistan would become the ‘Asian Tiger’ and Balochistan would be the tiger of Pakistan. But, he regretted, Balochistan had been completely ignored in the distributing of CPEC projects.

He alleged that Balochistan’s interests were not protected in 52 MoUs signed by the previous government, adding that even Gwadar was ignored.

He claimed that nobody knew about details of agreements the government had signed with Chinese companies.

Mr Baloch, who belongs to the Balochistan National Party-Mengal, claimed that on the eastern route of the CPEC all facilities of education, health, job, communication and industrial development were available, while the western route of the corridor — from Fata to Zhob — had not been provided such facilities.

He said despite being the largest province of the country in terms of territorial size and having a long coastline and long routes, Balochistan was being provided less funds under the CPEC.

He said the proposed national commission should comprised of two members from each province.

Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani termed the CPEC a chance for launching mega development projects in the country. Through loans, grants and joint ventures a number of development projects would be launched under the CPEC.

He criticised the previous government, claiming that it did nothing for Balochistan during its tenure. The province had only two projects, the Gwadar part and Hubco-China coal fire pant, in the CPEC.

Mr Alyani said former chief ministers of the province attended the Joint Coordination Committee’s meetings, but they could not ensure the due share of the province in the mega project.

He said the share of Balochistan in the CPEC investment was 4 per cent which had been spent on the development of Gwadar port and the coal fire power plant. Balochistan had not even received 1 per cent of its share for socio-economic development.

Nawab Aslam Raisani, Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, Sardar Abdul Rehman Khatiran, Zamarak Khan Piralizai, Asghar Khan Achakzai, Nasarullah Zarey, Syed Ehsan Shah, Asad Baloch and other members also spoke on the resolution and demanded that Balochistan should be given its due share in the CPEP.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2018