China could have been forced to build gold-paved road under CPEC: Aitzaz

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan on Wednesday said that Pakistan could have compelled China to build a ‘gold-paved’ road from Kashgar to Gwadar under CPEC had it struck a wise deal before kicking off the mega project.

Speaking on a deferred motion on role of state institutions in trichotomy of power, he said that despite making efforts for 400 years, Russia could not succeed in materialising a similar project,which was going to be a gateway to connect the landlocked Central Asian States with the rest of world.

“There is no doubt that China is a timetested friend of Pakistan but a more robust negotiation from our side could have definitely compelled it to build a goldpaved road from Kashgar to Gwadar”. He noted that top Russian leaders had been making hectic efforts for the last 400 years to connect the landlocked Central Asian countries with rest of the world, but their dream to build such a route could not be realised.

“Through CPEC, the government must know that it has tilted the international trade through CPEC and you must take full advantage of it. But the irony is that not a single Pakistani could be seen in major projects initiated under CPEC.”

On the controversy of trichotomy of power, Aitzaz maintained the role of judiciary, which often sided with military dictators, and validated their coups, was one the reasons.“We have failed to find solution to the key issues confronting us despite passage of so many years,” he said.

He cited the Justice Munir judgment and the apex court’s decisions afterwards during Zia’s Martial Law that was Okayed under the doctrine of necessity andMusharraf’s intervention was also validated and he was even empowered to amend the Constitution. Musharraf, he added, then imposed emergency, arrested the judges and they were made to take oath under PCO. Then a question arose about the legitimacy of his government and the apex court declared his steps as unconstitutional and that he had played with the Constitution.

He said the military shot to prominence in 1950 and then an army chief was made part of the cabinet. Aitzaz came hard on the PML-N govt and said if LNG deals, suspension of PIA operations to New York etc., would remain confidential from parliament, clash among the institutions had become writing on the wall. He criticised former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and alleged he became part of a bid to topple Benazir Bhutto’s government in 1990 as he took refuge in Jeddah by striking a deal with a dictator.