CPEC another kala bagh dam ?

[Imran Khan]

Stirring the CPEC pot
Editorial — Updated about 15 hours ago



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ONCE again KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and his high command are up in arms against the manner in which the government is seen to be implementing the CPEC projects.

Less than two months ago, he was already threatening “massive agitations” against these as well as a halt to all land acquisition under way in his province for CPEC projects.

The reasons given were that the centre had not allocated the promised funds for those projects that lie in the province, and that changes were being made in the allocations and routes without consulting his government.

On Dec 5, shortly after Mr Khattak’s outburst, the KP Assembly unanimously passed a resolution endorsing his views that the maps of the project being issued by the Planning Commission “indicate the consensus achieved on May 28 has not been implemented in letter and spirit”.

This was the second such resolution on CPEC passed by the provincial assembly — the first one came in October.

Today, the chief minister is upping the ante all over again. Once again, he is threatening agitations and the withdrawal of support for the land acquisition process, and his complaints are being echoed by parties besides his own in the provincial government.

It is not clear what precisely is the issue at stake, with all the emotional rhetoric in play, but what is evident is that the concerns raised in November, and echoed in the resolution of the provincial assembly, do not appear to have been resolved.

We can be excused for feeling a little confused as we witness this spectacle. Is this all politically driven, or is the government living up to its reputation of showing a stubborn preference for Punjab when it comes to the allocation of the state’s material resources?

The minister for planning has tried to assuage these concerns by saying his government “cannot even think about discriminating against any province”, but the words sound somewhat vacuous.

What is clear is that the whole controversy ultimately grows out of the lack of transparency shrouding CPEC projects, to the point where even the State Bank governor has made public comments that he is not aware of the foreign exchange requirements of the financing arrangements under which the projects are being executed.

Between fiscal year 2014 and 2015, the disbursement of bilateral loans and grants for CPEC energy projects doubled to reach $1.2bn, a large sum which doubtless carries repayment obligations that need to be known in advance.

The resolution of the KP Assembly further demands that the “[m]onographic study on highways of CPEC should be made a public document. Similarly, the agreements between Pakistan and China should also be made public”. It is high time to bring transparency to CPEC, or perhaps call another multiparty conference to hammer out a new consensus behind it all over again.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2016


Stirring the CPEC pot - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

 

[Imran Khan]

CPEC: PPP voices concern over neglecting Gilgit-Baltistan
By Peer Muhammad
Published: January 6, 2016
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PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: Following the hardline stance of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) chapter has planned to go to court for ignoring the region in the multibillion-dollar project.

Talking to The Express Tribune, PPP G-B Chapter President Amjad Hussain said G-B has no voice in decision-making forums at the federal level because of which the region has been neglected in the CPEC.

“The PPP will soon call an All Parties Conference (APC) in Gilgit and consequently approach the Supreme Appellate Court against the federal government for neglecting the area as far as its due share in the project is concerned,” he said.

He mentioned that despite tremendous potential of hydroelectric power in G-B, not a single project has been earmarked for the region under the CPEC.

He said out of the total investment of $46 billion, around $37 billion would be spent on energy projects, ironically, not a single hydroelectric power project has been included in the CPEC.

He suggested that other than small hydropower projects, Diamer-Bhasha dam and Bunji dam must be included in the CPEC so that they could benefit the people of G-B.

“CPEC is emerging as more of a China-Punjab Economic Corridor. Funds are increasingly allocated for wind or coal power plants and most of these are to be established in Punjab,” he said. “International community is moving away from coal-powered plants due to worrying environmental trends, however, Pakistan is moving in the opposite direction.”

The PPP leader said G-B has no representation in the National Assembly, Senate and Council of Common Interests (CCI), which is the reason that its interest has been compromised in the CPEC.

“We have been left with no option except to approach the court as we don’t expect justice from the government,” he remarked.

Amjad also expressed his concern over the proposed shifting of Sust Dry Port to Havelian, saying it would render thousands of locals jobless. “Federal government must ensure that the area is declared a tax-free zone for certain years if it is planning to shift the dry port so that people would have an alternative option for economic activities,” he said.

Amjad said as per the Constitution of Pakistan, G-B is still a disputed territory and the government must address the constitutional bars so that there is no difficulty in implementation of the project.

“G-B is the gateway to the CPEC and it must be given the same status as Gwadar,” he noted. Amjad further said they would also convey their concerns to the Chinese authorities.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2016.

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Federal government fails to satisfy KP on CPEC project
Last Updated On 07 January,2016 09:31 am

CM KP set up a 3-member committee to work on solving the conflicts on the issue of CPEC
PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – Planning Minister Dr. Ahsan Iqbal could not satisfy the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the issue of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. He attended a meeting in Governor House Peshawar, chaired by Governor KP Mehtab Ahmed Khan, reported Dunya News.

He categorically stated that no province or area is being neglected in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Ahsan Iqbal said no industrial zone has been set up so far. Energy is the main requirement for an industrial zone.

To a question, he said a detailed reply has been given to Pervez Khattak s thirteen-point letter. Addressing various functions in Peshawar, the Planning Minister said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a transformation project that will benefit all provinces, Gilgit Baltistan, FATA and AJK.

He said political coherence needs to be developed for its successful execution.

He said the project is not related to one government or a political party. It will run up to 2030 and it must not be politicised.

Chief Minister (CM) KP set up a 3-member committee to work on solving the conflicts on the issue of CPEC that includes Speaker Asad Qaiser, Senior Minister Innayatullah and opposition leader Lutfurrehman.

Federal government fails to satisfy KP on CPEC project - Pakistan - Dunya News

 

[Blue Marlin]

so is the dam being built then or not?

 

[Imran Khan]

the same guys whom burred kala bagh dam are now again active against CPEC . and i see future of this project bleach

 

[Muhammad Omar]

it'll not become Kala bagh Insha Allah

 

[Sheikh Rauf]

Let black sheep do their work to distract... its almost complete work is going on super speed by the time they come out it will be complete..Army and stablishment is responsible for Pak's economys life line.
People of Pak is way too smarter than before..
ANP some nationalists PPP moulana exposed already..
Insha'Allah khair..

 

[Imran Khan]

it'll not become Kala bagh Insha Allah

janab game is on


CPEC won’t pass through KP if due share denied: Khattak
Bureau Report — Updated Jan 03, 2016 11:50am



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PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Saturday warned his government won’t allow the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to pass through the province if the centre denied the due share in its route to the latter.

Addressing the ‘Corridor Convention’ arranged by Pakhtunkhwa Ulasi Tehreek (PUT) here, the chief minister said if KP didn’t benefit from the CPEC, then the federal government should divert its route away.

“If KP doesn’t gain from the (CPEC) project, then nobody will be able to get anything from the whole project,” he said.

Mr Khattak lambasted Punjab for ‘trampling on the rights of smaller provinces’ and said everything was being manipulated to benefit the country’s largest province.

He said the federal government was denying KP the due rights whether it was oil, gas, water or net hydel profit issue and thus, forcing the provincial government to go for agitation.

CM regrets not a single brick laid on Haripur-DI Khan section of corridor
“They (centre) declare all those raising voice for the rights of the province traitors,” he said.

The chief minister said Punjab needed to change its attitude towards smaller provinces and that all political forces of the province were united on the CPEC issue.

He said the CPEC was not just a road and instead, it was a combination of many projects, including electricity, gas, LNG, fiber optics and industrial zones.

Mr Khattak said on May 28, the federal government had agreed to go for the western route of corridor as a first priority.

“Work on many of the road projects, which are part of the CPEC project, has begun but ironically, not a single brick has been laid on the Haripur-Dera Ismail Khan section falling in the limits of KP,” he said.

The chief minister said all political leaders should join hands and raise voice for the rights of the province otherwise they would get nothing from the whole project.

He said the western route of the CPEC was 500-600 kilometers shorter than the eastern one and that the area falling under its western leg was also backward and needed to be completed as the first priority.

Mr Khattak said in December last, he had written a letter to the federal government on several contentious issues and demanded copies of agreement signed with the Chinese, but the response was still awaited forcing the provincial government to raise the matter in public.

“We’re not being taken into confidence on this issue. We’ll take this issue to the Council of Common Interest, the provincial and national assemblies, and other available forums.

The chief minister said his government would stand for the rights of the province and that all political leaders and people should support it.

KP Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar, who was also in attendance, said parliamentarians would fulfil their responsibilities on the CPEC issue and that PTI chief Imran Khan had directed the provincial government to take up the issue with the federal government without delay.

He said KP’s industry, cities and social fabric was destroyed by the war on terrorism and therefore, they should be rehabilitated and the CPEC could play a crucial role for it.

KP senior minister and Qaumi Watan Party provincial president Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao told participants that the CPEC project couldn’t be completed without the participation of KP.

He said if political forces of the province didn’t join hands for rights, then the history won’t forgive them.

Mr Sikandar said Pakistan was not being run like a federation and that the development of all federating units was vital for the country’s progress.

“Pakistan does not look like a federation today as one province (Punjab) is dominating others,” he said.

Awami National Party provincial general secretary Sardar Hussain Babak said the CPEC was the game-changer for the province’s future and that it was an issue of life and death for the people of the province.

“We’ll not allow anyone to usurp the rights of the province in this crucial project,” he said.

Awami Workers Party leader Fanoos Gujjar, Jamaat Islami lawmaker Syed Gul and former KP Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Zahid Shinwari also spoke on the occasion.

PUT convener Dr Said Alam Mehsud briefed participants about the project, especially the federal government’s ‘somersaults’ on it.

He said the PUT would organise conventions of traders, industrialists, lawyers, writers and students to apprise them of the actual situation on the issue.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2016

 

[saiyan0321]

Let's hope not but this shows his every party in Pakistan is extremely childish and selfish. We have the golden ticket in our hands we are screwing it up on all of this. PPP shouldn't even open their mouths on this. The most corrupt party berating another party on transparency is laughable to say the least. The thing is that every province is right now being consumed by greed due to the high economic progress this corridor brings and they will see this project destroyed to satisfy their greedy egos.

Hopefully this won't happen and the federal can convince all the provinces in this issue and satisfy their issues.

 

[Imran Khan]

Khattak threatens ‘extreme step’ over CPEC project
Zulfiqar Ali — Updated Jan 01, 2016 12:22pm



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Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed along with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and members of provincial assembly addresses a press conference in Peshawar. — INP
PESHAWAR: The political fraternity of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has warned the federal government through Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed against any ‘deception’ on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

“I warn if the federal government does not address the reservations of KP about the (CPEC) project, then we will take an extreme step. And you (centre) will see what we are going to do,” Chief Minister Pervez Khattak told a news conference with Mr Mushahid after attending the briefing of the parliamentary party leaders here on Thursday.

“The KP demand is very simple: implement the decisions of the ‘All-Party Conference’ held in Islamabad on May 28 and build complete corridor. We don’t need a highway,” said Mr Khattak flanked by parliamentary leaders in the KP Assembly.

The chief minister said if the federal government wanted to build a highway only, then the province had sufficient resources to do so on its own.

Senator Mushahid declares KP’s reservations on project genuine, wants ‘APC’ joint declaration implemented
Mr Mushahid, who heads a parliamentary committee overseeing the CPEC project, agreed with Mr Khattak, saying the reservations of KP are genuine and the route will be completed in line with the joint declaration of the ‘APC’.

The project containing fiber optic, railway line, gas and oil pipeline, LNG, electricity and several economic zones will connect Gwadar Port to Kashgar in the north-western China.

Parliamentary leaders of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Jamaat-i-Islami, Awami National Party, Qaumi Watan Party and Pakistan People’s Party, Speaker of the provincial assembly Asad Qaisar and ministers attended the briefing.

The chief minister said the provincial assembly had unanimously passed two resolutions demanding of the federal government to build the corridor in accordance with the ‘APC’ decisions.

He said it was decided in the APC meeting that the CPEC western route would be completed in the first phase to be followed by the construction of the eastern route.

“Later, we learnt that the western route has been restricted only to a road, which is unacceptable for us,” he said warning that KP would take an ‘extreme step’ if the centre ignored the ‘APC’ decisions.

He said the project’s additional components including fiber optic, railway track, gas and oil pipeline, LNG and other facilities had been attached with the eastern route of the corridor to be laid between Gwadar and Rawalpindi.

Mr Khattak said there was nothing in the project for KP except the highway.

He said the people of Hazara should also not live in a fool’s paradise as they were not getting much more from the project as the route would be passed through Hazara division.

The CM said the federal government should give priority and incentives to underdeveloped areas like KP and Balochistan in the project instead of shifting all benefits to Punjab, which was already developed.

He complained the centre had also stopped issuing the No Objection Certificate to foreign investors under the pretext of security situation.

Mr Khattak said investors were willing to put their money in KP but the federal government did not issue them NOCs.

“If the centre considers KP to be insecure for investment, then it should not start work on the corridor,” he said.

On the occasion, Mr Mushahid declared the CPEC ‘fortune-changer’ for the country and said the project was a golden opportunity for Pakistan to progress.

He said the vital project did not belong to a single province, political party, government or institution.

The parliamentarian said he came to Peshawar to understand KP’s viewpoint about the project and would discuss it with the centre.

He said federal planning and development minister Ahsan Iqbal would brief parliamentary leaders from KP about the CPEC on Jan 6.

“The grievances of KP are genuine and that the decisions of APC should be implemented in letter and spirit,” he said.

Mr Mushahid said major grievances of Balochistan had been resolved and reservations too would be resolved amicably.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2016

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CPEC: A Bad Deal for the Baloch People?
The people of Balochistan are suspicious of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

By Shah Meer
December 30, 2015
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The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be a “win-win” proposition according to statements made by the leadership of Pakistan and China. But the project is raising eyebrows and fears among the Baloch people, the indigenous community of Gwadar and the entire province of Balochistan. At the heart of the project is the city of Gwadar on the southwestern coast of the Arabian Sea in Balochistan province. Under CPEC, China and Pakistan plan to build a route to connect Gwadar Port in Pakistan with Kashgar in Xinjiang. The Chinese government has vowed to build the deepest seaport in the world in Gwadar, while creating infrastructure, energy and transportation projects along the route, reasoning that the resultant prosperity and economic development would change the shape of the most backward of Pakistan’s provinces specifically, as well as the whole of Pakistan.

So why would the Baloch people at large fear prosperity and progress? Wouldn’t the investment of $46 billion from China improve the living standards of the long-impoverished Baloch people? Why are most of the nationalists, intellectuals, students and ordinary people of Balochistan feeling suspicious? To answer that it is necessary to look back on the long history of Pakistan’s neglect of Balochistan in favor of the more populous provinces that are home to the large urban centers. While Balochistan may contain the richest mineral resources, its people receive little of the income derived from those resources and are deprived of the education, medical care, and concern for environmental protection afforded the most-favored provinces.

As the CPEC project moves forward, the fog of fear grows thicker. The native Baloch are of the view that, under the banner of economic development and prosperity, CPEC might turn them into a minority within their own land. As the influx of settlers begin to move into Gwadar and Balochistan as a whole, the natives are being ignored when it comes to jobs and other opportunities. The sense of deprivation and disappointment within the community is strong. Add to this the ongoing trend of issuing fictitious Balochistan domiciles to refugees (and others) and the list of Baloch grievances continues to mount.

As one Baloch student from Gwadar reminded me, Karachi was once a Baloch-dominant region. It was even named aftera Baloch woman, Mahi Kulachi. But in the name of development and urbanization, the authorities gradually transformed the Baloch majority of Karachi into a minority. Henow fears that it might be Gwadar’s turn, and that this time it might even entail all of Balochistan.

This fear is not limited to Baloch students. Baloch politicians and intellectuals are worried as well. Senator Mir Kabeer Ahmad Mohammad Shahi of the ruling National Party in Balochistan, and member of the Senate Special Committee on CPEC, has given much thought to the enormous demographic changes in the province that CPEC may bring about. He has demanded that the government enact legislation to protect the native people of the province from the anticipated influx of new arrivals there.

“We are not against the Gwadar deep seaport, CPEC or any other developmental project,” Kabeer said in an interview with The Nation (9 July 2015). “But if it is meant to marginalize the native people like Red Indians then we would not allow it to happen.”

The Chief of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) and former Chief Minister of Balochistan Sardar Akthar Mengal contests the CPEC project as not being acceptable without the consent of the local people. He has said that the project agreement was signed “without taking local people into confidence” and such a development project which violates the rights of the indigenous population cannot be endorsed.Even the federal government did not take the provincial government of Balochistan into confidence when entering into this agreement with China. Mengal says that he has read the CPEC agreements and that the project offers Balochistan nothing.

Chief Minister of Balochistan Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch has said that he was not taken into confidence by anyone with regard to the CPEC, and this revelation has further added to the sense of fear among the Baloch.

Baloch intellectuals for the most part hold the opinion that demographic changes from the CPEC project will be inevitable.The Baloch will become the minority unless the federal government enacts laws to protect their rights.

The locals would welcome infrastructural development and massive projects launched in Balochistan, but only if they really do benefit the locals. Indeed, they fear only more egregious inequities plotted under the cloak of the CPEC project.

The poverty in Balochistan has spurred the rise of nationalists who hold the federal government responsible for the backwardness of the province. They have been fighting since 1948 for the Baloch people’s right to ownership of the resources and coast of Balochistan, but their demands have been met with armed suppression. Now, with the federal government singing the praises of development, Balochistan must be assured that CPEC is destined to bring prosperity to the indigenous community as well, addressing its grievances and taking pragmatic steps to eliminate its fears. The alternative is chaos in an already troubled province, which could have disastrous repercussions for the project and the community itself.

Shah Meer is a Swedish Institute fellow. He graduated from NUML in International Relations and researches South Asian politics and Balochistan issues. He is originally from Pasni, District Gwadar, Balochistan, but is currently based in Islamabad


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Political parties join hands for KP, Balochistan rights in CPEC
Political parties join hands for KP, Balochistan rights in CPEC | RadioTNN.com










Bilawal wants Balochistan’s rights in CPEC protected


once politics start on any matter in pakistan thing go in drain forever dirty game is started already

 

[ASHARR]

Actually government is project ko bilawaja punjab se ghumana cha re ha . iska west route for sure banna chaiye or active bi rehna chaiye .
Har taraqiyati mansubay ka punjab se jana zaruri ni ha .

 

[Edevelop]

 

[Muhammad Omar]

 

[Kakaspai]

Lagta hy Parvez Khattak ki charas khatam ho gayi hy tabhi itna rolla dal ra hy.

 

[Mrc]

Pervaiz khattak has decided that he will try to sabottage cpec just for political gains of pti.... no matter what is said or done now they will take the extreme step they are threatening.....

Central government is expecting and bracing for it... and probably already has a strategy to defy pti in kpk....

This is going to be a debacle far bigger than dharna and will ruin pti....

Mean while

 

[Lone Ranger]

khattak pathan card istamal kr raha hy or CPEC ko ye controversial kr rha hy lakin ye Insha'Allah zaroor bany ga q k is martaba army ki division hy is pr army bhi is project mai shamil hy or west route ki construction bhi unhi k under hy or in jaiso ny bhang ya chars k nashy mai kisi gattar mai milna hy