CPEC realignment: Petition filed on western route’s elimination

Speaker moves PHC without support of parliamentary party leaders

PESHAWAR: Speaker of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Asad Qaiser moved the Peshawar High Court on Monday against the elimination of the western route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The petition requested the court to direct the prime minister to honor his commitment he made at an All Parties Conference (APC) held in May last year, regarding construction of ‘western route’ of CPEC along with its pledged components.



Terming the CPEC the biggest project in the country’s history, the writ, filed through Advocate Qazi Muhammad Anwar, stated that K-P was being deprived of the project’s fruits.

The speaker, who claimed to be representing all parliamentary parties, was only accompanied by provincial ministers Atif Khan, Sharam Khan and Shah Farman and not by anyone from the opposition or K-P government’s coalition partners.

The petition mentioned that a strong lobby had swung into action after the CPEC agreement was signed with the Chinese government in favour of the eastern route, neglecting the province.



It stated that concerns had been conveyed to the prime minister and the PM chaired an APC held on May 5, 2015. In the APC, the PM assured provincial leadership that the western route would be assigned priority.

It said that the federal minister for planning and development sought proposals from the provincial government, and the chief minister had proposed construction of western railway track and motorway between Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar, circular railway line between Peshawar and Nowshera, Charsadda, Mardan. An alternative route passing through Gilgit-Chitral via Malakand was also proposed.

It stated that the CM had also called for building a motorway on Karak-Taxila via Kohat-Jhand among other projects.



The petition stated that the controversy regarding the western route had repeatedly raged and finally it was noted that the western route had altogether been eliminated. The federal government, the petition stated, had opted for the eastern route along River Indus which was already developed.

The petition also maintained that the provincial assembly had passed several unanimous resolutions, favouring the western route.

It stated that the Chinese ambassador had told Chief Minister Pervez Khattak that CPEC documents contained no mention of a western route.

The project, it stated, would cost $45 billion, but mostly benefit Punjab, where $36 billion would be spent.

The province, the petition stated, had been severely affected by militancy that shattered its industrial base.

The petition insisted that the federal government was denying due rights to the people of K-P.

“Article 38 of the Constitution stipulates that the state shall work for the well-being of people, raising their standard of living.”

The petition requested the PHC to direct the federal government to provide funds for eight industrial parks, laying of electricity, gas, telephone and fiber optics networks, railway lines and other relevant services under the CPEC project in addition to projects proposed by the provincial government.

Later, the speaker told media persons that he represented all parliamentary parties and would stage a sit-in if the government failed to honour its commitments.

However, parliamentary leaders, including Sardar Hussain Babak of ANP and Sardar Nalotha of PML-N, JUI-F distanced themselves from the writ.

“Was the speaker representing all parties when he was protesting on a container a few days ago,” asked Babak.

“What if the speaker loses the case, will the PTI accept the court’s judgment?” he questioned, adding that it would weaken the stance of the K-P.

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