Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) November 2 lockdown of the federal capital would negatively impact on economic activities in general and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in particular.
This was stated by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal said while talking to this correspondent. He accused the PTI of creating anarchy in the country without any reason and added that "in the short term its impact would be negative but if it is prolonged then it would definitely have an adverse impact."
"There is not a single example in our past political history where a political party threatened a lockdown of the federal capital. If we allow this tradition to be set, after every three day a group of people will start to attack the capital. It is condemnable and the government will not allow it," Iqbal said.
The Minister said that the PTI recently faced defeat in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections and emphasised that "elections are the only democratic way to get power and the PTI should wait for the next general elections."
Mian Abdul Manan of Pakistan Muslim league-Nawaz (PML-N) said while talking to Business Recorder that a capital is like a jugular vain of a state and PTI Chief Imran Khan has announced his party would lockdown the federal capital "which is unconstitutional and we would not allow it". He said that Imran Khan is creating a situation in the capital which is not only having a negative impact on CPEC but is damaging the image of Pakistan in the world.
Manan added that the PML-N government would overcome loadshedding with several energy projects under CPEC scheduled for completion by the end of 2018. He accused the PTI of sabotaging CPEC development projects through creating chaos in the federal capital.
"There are head offices of various departments in the federal capital and the PTI wants to halt all economic activity by creating a law and order situation in Islamabad. This situation is also negatively impacting on Pakistan Stock Exchange," he said. "Their filthy designs will be unsuccessful, and by 2018 the power shortage will have ended. Darkness will have ended," he said. Pakistan People's Party (PPP) senior leader Naveed Chaudhry said that peaceful protest is the constitutional and democratic right of every party; but acknowledged that it is the responsibility of the government to maintain law and order. He further observed that the current situation in Islamabad is not giving a positive message to the world and strongly condemned the government action against the PTI workers and added that the impasse between the government and the PTI would negatively impact on economic activity in general and CPEC in particular. Colonel Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi (R) of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) said that protest is the democratic right of every party but to maintain law and order is the prime responsibility of the government. He echoed the sentiments of Naveed Chadhary and opined that the PTI lockdown is negatively impacting on economic activity in general and CPEC in particular.
Senator Hafiz Hamdullah of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) said while talking to Business Recorder that the issue of Panama papers is already in the Supreme Curt, Parliament and Election Commission of Pakistan. Imran Khan should fight his case of Panama papers in these institutions of the country.
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