JI opposes any change in Gowadar-Kashghar project route :Sirajul Haq

Lahore: Ameer, Jamaat e Islami, Pakistan, Sirajul Haq, has said that the Pak- China Economic corridor project was the life line for the development of the country that could open up the tribal areas, Khyber P, and Balochistan for rapid industrial progress.

Speaking in the “Guest Hour” programme of the Peshawar Press club, on Tuesday, he however said that the reports about the changes in the Gowadar- Kashghar road- rail project were a cause of deep concern. He urged the government not to make any changes. He also demanded that the government immediately made its position clear on this score.

The JI chief said that the government had raised a sensitive issue by giving an indication of alteration in the Gowadar-Kashghar route. He urged the federal government to take the Khyber P government in confidence on this score lest the project became controversial.

Sirajul Haq said it was great misfortune that the visit of the Chinese President to Pakistan got delayed although the Chinese President visited India according to the schedule. He said that now when the timing of the re-scheduled visit of the Chinese President was getting closer, rumours regarding a change in the route had been circulated due to which the parliament and the political parties would stand divided.

He said that the strong relations with China in the future required a complete national unity on our front so that China got a message of a best friend from this side.

He said that Pakistan’s ties with China were ideal and in order to further cement these, it was necessary to quash all rumours and negative propaganda.

Later, while addressing the Peshawar district bar, the JI chief said that the Baldia Town tragedy was a test of the government under the 21^st amendment. He urged the government to show courage and initiate proceedings in the light of the JIT report and added that the JI would not allow the government to dillydally on this burning issue. The rulers in Islamabad must go ahead and ensure justice to the victims of the Baldia Town tragedy. He said that as long as the JIT report of the tragedy did not reach its logical end, any PPP alliance with the MQM would be improper.

Sirajul Haq said it was unwise to treat the tribal people as criminals. He said that the federal government had not framed any rules for the uplift of the tribal areas due to which there had been no economic development there. He said that only Rs. Eighteen billion had been allocated for the tribal areas although an amount of one hundred billion was needed there.

He said that the tribal people and the people of the Khyber P were being harassed by the security forces thinking them as suspects. He said this should come to an end.