ISLAMABAD - The PML-N government on Monday assured the opposition parties in the National Assembly that there was no plan to change the route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and final decision would be made after addressing the differences on this important matter. "All the reservations and concerns of opposition factions would be addressed soon," said Minister for Defence Khwaja Asif, responding to the concerns raised by Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah on CPEC.
The minister said that the political parties could not reach consensus in previous meeting called to resolve this matter. "This issue would be resolved as almost all the important areas of the country are being linked through the road network under CPEC," he added.
Earlier, Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah demanded government to take all opposition parties into confidence about the route finalised for CPEC. "It is our wish that previous route should be finalised which is comparatively short from route being contemplated," said Shah, terming it as lifeline of Pakistan.
About alleged discrimination in promotion of officer from Sindh and Balochistan, the opposition leader said that the discriminatory decision against Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) especially officers belonged to Sindh is not understandable. "I demand it from government to withdraw its decision about this pick-and-choose," said Khursheed Shah, adding that he had written a letter to Prime Minister about this appointment but still not received response. "I do not think Prime Minister is an irresponsible person but I doubt that my letter was not given to him," said Shah, adding that even Tauqeer Shah of Model Town was in the list.
Shah further said that opposition parties had supported government in difficult time in order to strengthen democracy. "Joint session to strengthen government was summoned on the request of opposition parties," he said, ostensibly giving reference of PTI's sit-in against government.
Shah also strongly condemned the incidents of 'Safora Ghot', saying that civilian and army agencies should arrest the main culprits behind this tragedy. He also expressed grief and sorrow over the Naltar and Karachi incidents. The house also passed two separate unanimous resolution expressed grief and sorrow over Naltar and 'Safora Ghot' incident.
The first resolution, moved by Barjees Tahir, expressed complete solidarity with the bereaved families of the diplomats killed in the Naltar incident. It also prayed for the martyred army personnel in the incident. The house wished for early and complete recovery of all the injured persons, including the Polish, Romanian and Lebanese ambassadors. "The house expresses complete solidarity and reiterates deep sympathies with the grieved people and government of the said countries on the occasion of irreparable loss," says the resolution.
The second, moved by Sheikh Aftab, resolution expressed deep grief and sorrow over the Karachi incident. It expressed complete solidarity with the bereaved families. It called upon the government to take stern measures to bring the culprits involved in the attack to justice at the earliest. The house, in the resolution, expressed solidarity with the Ismaili community, sympathies with the bereaved families and prays for the early recovery of injured. "The National Action Plan should be implemented in its letter and spirit," says the unanimously passed resolution.
A lawmaker from Balochistan Sardar Kamal Khan, on point of order, said that right of the trial should be given to the people under arrest. "It is not a crime if someone is Baloch," he said, adding that he was not against the operation against militants but the procedure to nab the suspicious persons. "By this way you are not eliminating militants but multiplying them," he added.
MQM lawmaker Farooq Sattar, on point of order, said that government should ascertain the real reason behind the back-to-back law and order incidents in Karachi. "It is also necessary to understand that Karachi operation is being carried out under National Action Plan," he questioned from government. MQM's MNA further said that Interior Minister should give detailed answer of this disturbed situation in the biggest city of the country. About China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said Karachi should also be considered while finalising the route of CPEC.
Earlier, the government side with majority passed a bill 'The Capital University of Science and Technology bill, 2015'.
The opposition parties except Jamaat Islami and MQM staged a token boycott over passing a bill on establishment of a university in the Islamabad. PPP's Naveed Qamar and PTI's Dr Shireen Mazari spoke against the procedure the government has adopted for the legislation.