Pakistan-China project: Balochistan CM seeks full details of corridor route

Dr Malik vows to fight with opposition for the rights of the province

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch on Saturday promised to take up with Islamabad the reservations of lawmakers from his province about the likely changes in the Pakistan-China economic corridor route.

The chief minister was speaking during a debate in the Balochistan Assembly on the resolution tabled by the opposition against the likely change in the route of Gwadar-Kashgar land link.

The resolution, unanimously adopted by the Balochistan Assembly, called upon the provincial government to convince the centre that the corridor should go through Khuzdar, Mastung, Zhob and Dera Ismail Khan.

The chief minister supported the resolution and said he would go to Islamabad and seek full details of the corridor route. “We might have differences but when it comes to protecting the rights, coast and resources of the province, we along with opposition parties will struggle together to defend our rights,” he said on the floor of the house.

Dr Malik said his government had not made any compromises on the rights and resources of the province. “We have been demanding more powers for the federating units from day one. The centre should retain only three subjects—defence, currency and foreign policy, while other subjects be enlisted to provincial government’s domain,” he said. “We even want the Gwadar Deep Sea Port to be given to Balochistan,” Dr Malik said.

He said it was the first time that the chairman for Gwadar Port Authority was appointed on the recommendation of the provincial government.


Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2015.