PML-N govt has hijacked CPEC project: Bilawal

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GEO NEWS
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HUB: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday claimed that the ruling PML-N had hijacked the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

"Former president Asif Ali Zardari signed the CPEC project in the presence of the Chinese president in the President House in 2013," Bilawal said while addressing a party power show in Hub.

Criticising the ruling party, he said the PML-N is attempting to take undue credit for the CPEC project.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addressing a rally in Hub, Balochistan on Saturday January 20, 2018. Photo: Geo News

“This government did not treat Balochistan any better than a colony,” he said.

Bilawal alleged that CPEC's western project was ignored to [negatively] affect Balochistan. 

“Your people were also abducted just as ours,” he said. “Justice was not served to you just like it was not served to us.”

In an apparent reference to former president Pervez Musharraf, he accused the "dictator of fuelling a fire of hatred” in the province.  

He claimed that when his party’s formed a government in the center, it managed to achieve what had not been done in the province during the past 70 years.

“They ask us what our government accomplished,” he said. “We initiated the programme of Aghaz Haqooq-e-Balochistan, we gave autonomy to provinces through the 18th amendment, and in 2013, Balochistan was the only province to have a surplus budget.”

He further said that the PPP-led government provided resources to Balochistan from the national exchequer and the Thar Coal project, introduced by his party, is providing the most benefit to locals.

“We will fight democratically against exploitative forces,” Bilawal said. 

Commuters were earlier issued guidelines that the RCD Highway will remain closed from Hub River Bridge to Gatron Morr till 8pm today.

On January 17, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had said there is a clash between two 'ladlay' [favourites] in the country while addressing a rally in Badin. 

"One favourite says that he owns assets but he is told that he owns none while the other favourite says he does not own assets but the court says that he does," he said. "This is a clash between the two favourites."

Referring to the brutal rape and murder of a seven-year-old child in Kasur, the PPP chairperson said it was not the first such incident.

"Such incidents are regular, and my heart bleeds when I see such incidents occurring in the country."

He also denounced the murder of two protestors at the hands of the police during demonstrations following the Kasur incident.

"Why did the Punjab police take aim at unarmed citizens?" he said. "The nation needs to be told what Sharif is taking revenge for, from the citizens of Punjab."

Lashing out at the Sharif brothers, Bilawal said that 'the nation is wise' and it knows the 'true faces' of the two brothers.

"You are lamenting your disqualification, but why are you asking why you were disqualified from the public, why don't you ask your younger brother," he said in reference to Nawaz Sharif's disqualification from holding public office in the July 28, 2017 verdict of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case.

Bilawal further said that Nawaz has completed his political age, adding that Nawaz was unable to handle both Balochistan and Punjab.