Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Mian Zahid Hussain, President, Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), also serving currently as President, AKIA; Senior Vice Chairman, Businessmen Panel, FPCCI and formerly as a provincial minister noted on Monday the continuous damages, being posed by bureaucracy and political tensions to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He further added that the prevalent tension between provinces as well as a lack of coordination among the concerned ministries has increased anxiety among Chinese investors. Hussain was of the view that Panama papers, a long absence of the Prime Minister in the country and the political instability have all left many Chinese nervous, which will not facilitate the project. “In this scenario, the government should consider establishing a new ministry to handle project-related issues or think about handling over either full or partial control of the project to the Army, which has the required ability to complete it in time,” he said.

It was also said that Pakistan could not afford any delay in the game changer project, which is highly critical for the economic development and national security. Hussain also stated that if handing over the CPEC to Army cannot be considered suitable, then at least the monitoring of the project should be entrusted to them. He said that the Chinese authorities have already informed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain, COAS Gen. Raheel Sharif, Interior Minister Ch. Nisar and many others about their reservations. The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan has also called upon the politicians to shun differences in the larger national interest which indicate their frustration, he said, further adding that hammering out things as soon as possible is in the interest of Pakistan. He, hence, asked the political parties to not remain divided on this critical issue and try to facilitate this project, which serves the interest of both the nations.