Controversy over CPEC: K-P, FATA residents threaten protest outside Chinese Embassy

ANP-W demands inclusion of western route in crucial economic corridor

BANNU: Residents of Bannu, Karak as well as North and South Waziristan took to the streets of Bannu on Sunday against the decision to change the route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and threatened to demonstrate outside the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad. They demanded the inclusion of the western route whereby the corridor would run through more areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

A convention related to CPEC was held on Bannu Link Road on Sunday under the chairmanship of ANP Wali Central General Secretary Dr Syed Alam Mehsud. Senior leaders of ANP-W and other parties were also present on the occasion.

“Through CPEC, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has denied smaller provinces of their rights,” Syed Alam Mehsud said.



“The future of K-P will be bleak if the Centre fails to give priority to an energy project, the employment quota and infrastructural development.”

He added the western route was not included in the economic corridor and K-P will not receive an energy project under CPEC. Farid Tufan, another ANP-W leader, termed such a move as an injustice with a province which had already suffered greatly due to militancy and terrorism.

The participants urged the federal government include K-P in the project or they would protest in outside Parliament House and Chinese Embassy in the federal capital.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2016.