Zehri calls for ending propaganda over CPEC's Western route

Fazl says project a testimony to Chinese friendship; Bizenjo, Achakzai, Mian Iftikhar, Mushahid also address on the occasion

ZHOB: Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri said on Wednesday that the negative propaganda on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’s western route issue should come toshould come to an end.

He expressed these views while addressing the CPEC western route foundation stone laying ceremony which was performed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

He said that he was concentrating on good governance and uplift projects aimed at generating business activities. He praised the vision and leadership of the prime minister for according priority to the development of backward areas of the country.

Nawab Sanaullah Zehri said that the project was the “positive stride” towards the country’s economic development. Alluding to recent controversies over the CPEC project, he further said, "There has to be no negative propaganda against CPEC."

Speaking on the occasion, Senator Hasil Bizenjo said that had the development projects been completed in a timely manner in the past, there would have been long-sustained peace in the troubled province. "Poverty and unemployment are the underlying causes of terrorism," he said.

On the occasion, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the CPEC project was the testimony to the Chinses friendship with Pakistan and it was a matter of “immense pleasure”, since it addressed basic issues in the province and would help pave the way for durable peace in the region.

Maulana also said that peace in Afghanistan was crucial for Pakistan. “The war-torn country provides access to resource-rich Central Asian States,” he added. Addressing the ceremony, Mahmood Achakzai also stressed the necessity of smooth and transparent working relations with neighbouring countries to make the Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (TAPI) pipeline project a success. He demanded that PM Nawaz should take all the political forces into confidence regarding the CPEC project.

ANP leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that they wanted to develop it at all costs. However, he said that the western route was an important step in the process of eliminating terrorism from the country. He said that Gwadar port belonged to Balochistan first. “Gwadar first belongs to the Balochs, and then to Pakistan,” Iftikhar stated. PML-Q leader Mushahid Hussain Sayed also addressed the ceremony.—Originally published in The News