Diplomacy of hospitality: PM to meet Asfandyar today to discuss CPEC

ANP decides to protest in Quetta on December 1.

PESHAWAR: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will meet ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan on Wednesday (today) to address concerns over the alleged changes in the route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

According to a statement issued on Tuesday, Awami National Party’s information secretary said the party chief will address a news conference in Islamabad.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, ANP leaders said the meeting is expected to reach a conclusion regarding the economic corridor. The prime minister invited Asfandyar for lunch. Following the meeting, the ANP leader will address a press conference.

A senior ANP leader said CPEC was the main agenda of the meeting. He added they had been trying to hold a meeting with the prime minister for two months. However, they were not able to arrange a meeting earlier due to the prime minister’s busy schedule.

Another ANP leader said the party had decided to protest in Quetta on December 1 over the decision to change the route of CPEC. When The Express Tribune contacted three other senior party members, they said the ANP leadership had not asked them to call off the protest and they will carry on as planned.

Meanwhile, insiders said opposition parties in K-P are planning to form a political alliance to put pressure on the government to build the western route in accordance with the decisions taken at the all parties conference.

The federal government had been in touch with the ANP leader through Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal. The minister had requested the ANP leadership for a renewed briefing about the development of the route. However, ANP had rejected the federal government’s offer over lack of transparency in development schemes announced on the eastern route and neglect shown towards the western route.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th,  2015.