Stick to the plan: ‘Change in trade corridor to be strictly opposed’

Senior political figures, businessmen say K-P cannot be ignored.

PESHAWAR: The Gwadar-Kashgar action committee warned of protests against any diversion of the “original route” of the Pak-China trade corridor. An agreement for the project is expected to be signed by the federal government during the current visit of the Chinese president.

Qaumi Watan Party leader Hashim Babar, ANP General Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain, former governor barrister Masood Kausar, businessmen and officials attended a conference held at the Peshawar Press Club to discuss the matter.



Members of the forum said they appreciated international investment in the country. However, they added that lesser-developed areas of the country, especially Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, had asked the government to stick to the original route which passed through both provinces.

“This major project has been snatched from our people,” said Hussain. He said K-P’s infrastructure was badly affected by years of terrorism and preference should be given to the province.

Husain said the struggle would continue against any change in the original Pak-China Trade Corridor route. He said they would fight till the government is forced to implement the originally-planned route.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 21^st, 2015.