Bilawal accused Pak govt of changing CPEC route to deprived Baloch people of benefits

Pakistan opposition's PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has accused Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government of modifying the route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to deprived people of Balochistan of their share of benefits from the projects.

"We brought revolutionary programmes such as CPEC for you, the people of Balochistan [...] the vision of former president [Asif Ali] Zardari was for the route to begin with the most backward areas of Pakistan, namely Fata and Balochistan, but I regret to say the route was changed and instead, the project began from Lahore and Sindh," DAWN quoted Bilawal as saying.

Bilawal was addressing a PPP workers' convention in Quetta. "We want the people of Balochistan to benefit from CPEC but this incompetent, unqualified puppet government has failed in providing you the benefits. Only PPP is capable and it is the only party to have ever strived to deliver the benefits of a project to the residents of the area it is launched in," he added.

The CPEC is a multi-billion dollar development project, with a planned network of roads, railways and energy projects linking China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with Pakistan's strategic Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea.

Bilawal also alleged that "selected prime minister" Imran Khan was not only "stealing" the share of resources that should go to the provinces, but was also "placing the burden of his incompetence" onto the people.

"He who promised 10 million jobs and 5 million homes is not only stealing existing jobs but the roof over people's heads in the name of encroachment," said the PPP chairman.