Did PTI ask China before inviting S. Arabia into CPEC, asks Raza Rabbani

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf did not consult Balochistan before asking Saudi Arabia to build an oil city in Gwadar, Raza Rabbani has said. 

“The government did not take parliament or the Balochistan government into confidence,” the former Senate chairperson said during a session of the Senate Monday. “This is a direct violation of Article 172.”

Article 172 says that any unclaimed property belongs to the province it lies in and the federal government.

Rabbani accused the government of trying to sabotage Chinese investment in Pakistan under its Belt and Road Initiative. “Did the government even consult China before asking Saudi Arabia to become a third partner?” Statements of the Chinese officials hinted that they were not in favour of this, he added.

Commerce Adviser Abdul Razzaq Dawood said that CPEC projects should be stopped for a year. “Rather than rejecting this statement, he said that he was misquoted,” Rabbani said.

The International Monetary Fund team, which is currently in Pakistan, has come for an investigation, he said. “All financial documents were shared with the team but not parliament.”

He remarked that taking a loan from the IMF will impose more restrictions on Pakistan’s economy.

“The government keeps on dropping inflation bombs on the people,” said Senator Chaudhry Tanveer for his part.

Senator Talha Mahmood, who belongs to the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, said that the government is bringing in foreign investment rather than putting the burden on the people. “There is scope for industrial development in the country,” he said.

PTI’s Azam Swati said that the government has imposed taxes on big vehicles and luxury items. “During the tenure of the previous government, the railways department faced a deficit of Rs40 billion. There was a deficit of Rs118 billion in the budget,” he remarked. The PML-N government destroyed all institutions, including the national airline.

There is widespread corruption in the country. “We should chop off the hands of politicians, generals, judges and media houses involved in corrupt practices,” he added.

Article source: https://www.samaa.tv/news/2018/10/did-the-pti-ask-china-before-inviting-s-arabia-into-cpec-raza-rabbani/