Specs of CPEC: Another resolution passed to implement APC decisions

Nighat Orakzai demands federal govt declare December 16 national day

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly passed a unanimous resolution to demand the federal government to implement decisions taken on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor at the all-parties conference on May 28.

The house passed a similar resolution on October 6. However, on Friday, lawmakers specified what the federal government should do to ensure the western alignment if the corridor receives its promised share.

Minister for Labour and Mineral Development Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli tabled the resolution in the house which was adopted by opposition and treasury benches. During the session, Tahirkheli read out the contents of the resolution.

Shrouded in secrecy

“The dispute surrounding the route of the economic corridor was amicably resolved during the APC,” she said. “But subsequent maps of the route of the corridor – issued by the planning commission – and the allocation of funds indicate the consensus achieved on May 28 has not been implemented in letter and spirit.”

According to a copy of the resolution available with The Express Tribune, work on the motorway must immediately start on the western route as per decisions taken by the APC.

“All the components of CPEC should be included on western route,” stated the resolution.

The document added, “Monographic study on highways of CPEC should be made a public document. Similarly, the agreements between Pakistan and China should also be made public.”

Reiterating commitment

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha raised issue with passing another resolution on the matter. However, he remained silent when it was adopted.

According to Nalotha, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had assured Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan the western route would be completed on a priority-basis. “The house has already passed a resolution over the issue,” he said. “I have supported that resolution. However, bringing another resolution is not the right thing to do.”

Nalotha said he, via PML-N’s K-P chapter, had urged the prime minister to implement the decisions taken during the APC. The PML-N leader advised the speaker to not adopt another resolution.



“On the contrary, National Highway Authority (NHA) officials should be summoned to brief members of the assembly in this regard,” he said. “Pakhtunkhwa Ulasi Tehreek Chairman Dr Said Alam Mehsud should also be invited to this briefing.”

Minister Sikandar Khan Sherpao, ANP leader Syed Jaffar Shah and opposition leader Maulana Lutfur Rehman told Nalotha the resolution was being passed to iron out any ambiguities which have arisen after the APC.

Once the resolution was passed, the speaker adjourned the sitting to December 18.

Boycott ends

Journalists also ended their boycott of the assembly sessions after Rehman apologised to them for remarks made by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl lawmaker Munawar Khan. The opposition leader welcomed journalists to the house. The remarks were also condemned by the speaker.

National day

The speaker has been requested to pass a resolution demanding the federal government declare December 16 a national day in memory of the Army Public School victims.

The matter was raised by Pakistan People Party lawmaker Nighat Orakzai during a point of order. “The resolution should be tabled jointly by opposition and treasury benches during the next sitting of the assembly,” she said.

According to Orakzai, the sacrifices of those who lost their lives in the school attack should not be forgotten.

The lawmaker advised if the resolution is passed in the K-P Assembly and other provincial assemblies, eventually, the National Assembly and Senate will also declare it a national day.

Deputy speaker elections: Assembly building to become polling booth 

Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan has given the green signal for the K-P Assembly building to be used as a polling station for the deputy speaker elections announced for December 22.

An insider told The Express Tribune the assembly secretariat had sent a letter to Governor House seeking permission to declare the building a polling station for the elections. “The nomination papers for the slot will be submitted on December 21 and would be returned on the same day,” he said.

The slot was vacated by Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi last year in October when he became the minister for law. On November 27, Speaker Asad Qaiser announced the dates for the elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th,  2015.