Govt, opposition trade barbs over road projects

ISLAMABAD: The government and opposition on Thursday pointed fingers at each other over roads projects a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan stated that the projects of the PMLN would be investigated.

Addressing a press conference here, the PMLN Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal rejected Imran Khan’s criticism on PMLN government’s development plans, accusing him of misguiding the nation with regard to road projects which were directly financed by the Chinese government and executed by Pakistan Army’s institutions.

He said the prime minister while levelling allegations of corruption in motorway projects and other mega road plans was maligning Pakistan’s close friend like China and National Logistics Cell (NLC) and Frontier Works Organisation (FWO).

“Imran Khan wants to say that either Chinese government embezzled Pakistan’s exchequer or Pakistan Army’s institutions like NLC and FWO committed corruption in these road projects,” he said, adding the roads projects were part of China Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said the PTI government was acting as a tool in hands of anti-state forces which are opposed to CPEC. “The FWO and NLC were highest bidders of various projects including those directly financed by the Chinese government,” he said.

The PMLN leader said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was psychological patient who wanted to make every PMLNs project controversial without knowing facts and technical details. “Imran Khan should know that there is difference between the bid price and completion price of projects, while cost of projects also vary due to different specifications,” he said.

He told the Prime Minister that the Chinese ambassador in Islamabad on twitter praised the Havelian-Thakot Motorway project saying that the same had been included amongst best engineering projects in the world. He said the project was directly financed by the Chinese government.

Ahsan Iqbal said the PTI-led government slowed down pace of CPEC project and failed to provide infrastructure for the nine special economic zones which was to be done by end of the year 2020.

He regretted that the PTI government also unleashed propaganda against energy projects which were completed thanks to the Chinese government, adding that the PTI regime should be ashamed at pointing fingers at these energy plans. “Had these projects not completed, the country should have been facing 10 hours daily load-shedding,” he said.

Responding to Ahsan Iqbal’s assertions, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry made it clear the corruption of Sharif family will be investigated at all costs, having nothing to do with CPEC.

He came hard on the PMLN for linking its corruption in road infrastructure projects with CPEC, and said it is beyond comprehension. He then remarked, “As far as CPEC is concerned, I am unable to understand as to why the PMLN wants to link China with its corruption.”

The minister said this while speaking here at the launching ceremony of a book, penned by a sports analyst Dr Nauman Niaz. He pointed out that the PMLN leadership was trying to link China and state institutions with their corruption in the hope to get relief in the investigation to be carried out in the project of roads construction during the PMLN government era.

He emphasised that the PMLN would not be allowed to succeed in their plan, and alleged that the PMLN leadership was trying to hide behind the institutions to escape accountability in roads projects.

Fawad was hopeful that Ahsan Iqbal and his party would avoid such a negative attitude towards CPEC, which was an initiative of national importance, and remarked, “Ahsan Iqbal should first decide who is running the affairs of the PMLN. He should first get a vote of trust from the PMLN, and then ask others for a vote of confidence.”

The minister emphasised that Prime Minister Imran Khan not only enjoyed the confidence of the National Assembly, but also of entire nation which voted him into power and that the prime minster would continue to rule on the basis of the people’s trust in his leadership.