Daily Times

“There is complete unanimity in Pakistan on the (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) CPEC opportunity,” said Pakistan Peoples Party Vice-President, Senator Sherry Rehman, on Tuesday, while adding that all of the country’s political parties had unanimously adopted the Beijing Declaration.

She was speaking at the first meeting of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism.

Highlighting the significance of CPEC, she added, ” Political parties are taking responsibility for Pakistan’s future and making sure that CPEC, as an opportunity, reaches its full potential.”

The senator called the project a platform that was beyond parties and provinces because it guaranteed Pakistan an entry into the 21st century as a viable economy. CPEC was also said to provide the citizens of Pakistan with basic economic benefits.

The former Leader of Opposition was heading a delegation of other senior PPP members and claimed that her party truly appreciated the opportunity to join the multi-party consultation on CPEC.

Such exchanges were beneficial for everyone, Sherry added.

Senator Sherry then invited the hosts to visit Pakistan and all provinces, including Sindh, to build upon their communication and relationship.

‘For the PPP, CPEC is our project’: Sherry

She maintained, “I would like to make three points; we are here to take stock of our progress on realizing joint goals on CPEC. One is the creation of consensus, something we always talk about; the second is the building of clarity on joint roles as we proceed together; and third is the importance and power of communication both internally and externally about how important and transformational CPEC can be for the people of Pakistan and for the future of the region’s peace, stability and our joint progress,”

She took great pride in the close bond her party enjoyed with China and remarked, “Both Pakistan and the PPP hold the Peoples Republic of China as our iron brothers from the 1950s, from the days of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who was the last leader to see Chairman Mao before his death.”

She noted, “For the PPP, CPEC is our project.”

Sherry relayed that the PPP took unambiguous ownership of CPEC because it was shepherded by the grunt of Gwadar to China by former president and PPP co-chairperson, Asif Ali Zardari, who had visited China eleven times during his tenure for the realisation of this dream.

While expressing hopes for China to consider her party as key stakeholders in making CPEC work for the people of Pakistan, she established PPP as a party totally invested in the outcome of jobs, growth, energy provision and regional stability.

The senator underlined the importance of working alongside China and stated, “Learning from China will be crucial to deepening the skill base of our people, one million of which enter the job market every year.”

She continued, “China boasts a digital economy of $3.8 billion. We will be using the digital platforms for connectivity, jobs, development, marketing and communication”.

Those present on the occasion included Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Qasim Suri from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI); Mushahid Hussain from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N); Balochistan Governor, Amanullah Khan; Jan Muhammad from National Party; Nasrullah Khan Barach from Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP); Omar Ahmadzai from Balochistan Awami Party (BAP); Mehmood Ahmad from Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (F) (JUI-F); Shagufta Malik from Awami National Party (ANP) and Muhammad Akbar from Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M).

Published in Daily Times, March 20^th 2019.