ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed and former minister for planning Ahsan Iqbal of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the National Assembly on Monday blamed each other regarding various infrastructure projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The PML-N leader, Ahsan Iqbal, while talking on the point of objection, said that Minister for Communications Murad Saeed had been constantly misrepresenting him.
He said that the claims made by the Minister of Communications had included plans of the projects of CEPC in our era.
"The Minister for Communications accused me of getting commission of Rs50 billion in Sukkur-Multan Motorway project."
He said that the minister had also announced to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) on that issue. He said that the year 2020 was coming to an end but the JIT had not been formed.
"On Multan-Sukkur Motorway, if I have taken a commission of Rs5, may Allah destroy my descendants; may this minister also stand under the names of Allah, and say the same words," the PML-N leader said. While throwing a challenge to the minister, Ahsan Iqbal said, "I am ready to face any JIT by including ISI, MI, IB, FIA and other agencies on this issue." He said that Dir-Chakdara-Chitral Motorway and other projects were included in the sixth JCC meeting in our tenure of the government.
He said that the claims made by the Minister for Communications had included plans in our era.
He said that Dir-Chakdara Chitral-Motorway project was PML-N government's project but the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) pulled it out of the CPEC.
He said that Dera Ismail Khan to Zhob Motorway was supposed to be completed in 2018 but now it will be completed in 2020.
Minister for Communications Murad Saeed said, "I asked five questions."
He said that Dir-Chakdara-Chitral Motorway project was submitted to the JCC with my signature. "How was it passed in his time?" "I'm not going to run away. I am also talking about Rs50 billion. I'm asking again. Mr Speaker! Call for a Debt Commission Report. If Javed Sadiq's name does not come up as his front man, then say so," the minister claimed.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020