Khattak asks Centre to declare western route as integral part of CPEC

KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has asked the federal government to declare western route as integral part of the CPEC. While talking to the Peshawar based bureau chiefs of electronic media at CM House, Peshawar on Monday, he said, the Prime Minister in a meeting of All Parties Conference had agreed to declare western route the shortest one and part of the CPEC but unfortunately the signals from different quarters indicated against it.
"If it is not part of the CPEC it will be the violation of the Prime Minister commitment, consented to the APC for making the western route the part of CPEC," said the CM. The chief minister said that it was within the Constitution to raise voice for the rights of the province and it was legal and justifiable to secure the rights of the province. He asked the federal government to sit with the Chinese government and make western route part of the CPEC otherwise it would not only be against the larger frame of overall goals behind the CPEC but will also be against national unity.
The CM said that the federal government approved a link of motorway from Jhand to Kohat and expressway and rail track from Peshawar to DI Khan. The federal government should make allocation of resources for these projects which had been reflected in the federal PSDP.
He said these were the projects for which he struggled and approved them and these were of prime importance in the backdrop of CPEC. The failure of federal government to provide resources for these projects would kill the objectives behind the CPEC. He said his government was the custodian of the interest of the province and therefore he would not rest till the fulfilment of the objectives behind the CPEC. He would not compromise for securing and safeguarding the provincial rights.
Regarding the Afghan refugees, the chief minister said that Pakistan and Afghanistan both wanted dignified and honourable return of the refugees so that they could play their role in rebuilding of their Afghanistan. The repatriation of the Afghan refugees was a national and international issue and according to UN Charter, the federal government was responsible for implementation of the agreements about Afghan refugees. The CM said the refugees were willingly going back to their country due to border management, adding that their registration in our country had become inevitable as unregistered foreigners created law and order problems.
He said that registration of the refugees was responsibility of the federation and his government contacted the federal government to this effect. The federal government communicated to start registration process from October this year. He said refugees should register themselves and his government would give them their right according to the law.
He rejected the politically motivated statements and asked not to make politics on this sensitive issue of national importance. The KP government would play its role in facilitating the refuges in their voluntary repatriation and would provide all kind of assistance and support to this effect, he added.