ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Syed Shibli Faraz while speaking in the Senate on Thursday advised the opposition not to play into the hands of enemies by making the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project controversial.

The remarks came after former Senate chairman Mian Raza Rabbani on a calling attention notice pointed out that the CPEC Authority Ordinance had lapsed in June and questioned the status of the Authority functioning without any legal cover for months.

Mr Faraz conceded that the ordinance had expired and said it would shortly be brought before the two houses of parliament in the form of a bill. He, however, said such insinuations amounted to creating a cleavage between China and Pakistan.

The minister alleged the opposition always made efforts to destroy institutions, adding that they were also trying to sabotage the CPEC project.

He said the CPEC was not a project of any political party rather it was a project between Pakistan and China, two governments and the people of both the countries.

Rabbani questions status of CPEC Authority functioning without legal cover

When Deputy Chairman of the Senate Saleem Mandviwala reminded him that it was a discussion on the Peshawar blast, the minister said it was a sequence. “If you continue to weaken the state, God forbid, more such incidents would take place.”

He accused the opposition of putting the national interests and security at stake for their personal interests, saying that the country’s enemies were taking advantage of the environment created by the opposition.

The minister pointed out that the slogan of “independent Balochistan” was raised in a rally of the PDM in Quetta.

Taking part in the discussion, Jamaal-i-Islami emir Senator Sirajul Haq asked the government to fight against poverty, joblessness and price hike instead of attacking the opposition.

He regretted that despite a threat alert no security was provided to the Peshawar madressa which was attacked on Tuesday.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl Senator Attaur Rahman while rejecting allegations that the opposition was supporting the Indian narrative recalled that a visit of the Chinese president to Pakistan had to be postponed due to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s prolonged sit-in in Islamabad in 2014.

He termed the Peshawar blast an attempt to scare the PDM leadership. He, however, said that the PDM’s rally in Peshawar would take place as per plan.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2020