ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has strongly rejected US objections on China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’, in which China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project.
Reacting to US Defence Secretary James Mattis reservations over CPEC route, Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said, “CPEC is a project for development and prosperity of the region and welfare of the people.”
The spokesman went on to say, “India is severely violating human rights in occupied Kashmir. Indian army has been committing atrocities against innocent Kashmiris there.”
He called upon international community to take notice of Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir.
Earlier, Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Chairman China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Parliamentary Committee, also strongly rejected US objections.
In response to US Defence Secretary reservations over China Pakistan Economic Corridor, Mushahid Hussain in a series of tweets said, “US officially participated in ‘One Belt, One Road’ Summit in Beijing in May 2017 with delegation led by Special Assistant to President Donald Trump, now US Defence Secretary suddenly opposing it.”
US officially participated in '1 Belt, 1 Road' Summit in Beijing May 2017, with Del led by Spl Assistant to Pres Trump, so now this U-turn!
— Mushahid Hussain (@Mushahid) October 7, 2017
Mushahid Hussain continued saying “US stand contradictory and baseless.”
He said Mattis opposing OBOR, in which CPEC is flagship project, ‘echoes Indian line’.
DefSec Mattis also added in opposing OBOR, in which CPEC is flagship project, that 'it passes thru disputed territory', echo's Indian line
— Mushahid Hussain (@Mushahid) October 7, 2017
“Suddenly US, courtesy India, in silly/shortsighted U-turn, discovers ‘disputed territory’ in the context of OBOR, to justify opposing China,” he added.
Suddenly US, courtesy India, in silly/shortsighted U-turn, discovers 'disputed territory' in the context of OBOR, to justify opposing China!
— Mushahid Hussain (@Mushahid) October 7, 2017
He added similarity in US shortsightedness, Obama opposed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank but failed miserably, now opposition to OBOR will also fail.
Briefing the US lawmakers on the current situation in the Pak-Afghan region earlier this week, US Defence Secretary James Mattis said: “The One Belt, One Road also goes through disputed territory, and I think that in itself shows the vulnerability of trying to establish that sort of a dictate.”
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes through a disputed territory, the US administration informed Congress.
Earlier, this claim had been made by India with the view to thwart the multi-billion dollar project that will link Gwadar to China’s Xinjiang via vast network of highways and railways.
The mega development project passes through the northern areas, which India claims is part of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir territory.
The US opposed the One Belt, One Road policy in principle because in a globalised world there were many belts and many roads, and no one nation should put itself into a position of dictating One Belt, One Road. And it opposed the one going through Pakistan also because it passed through a disputed territory, Secretary Mattis said.
The US defence chief added that common grounds should be found with China to thwart terrorism.
The United States’ stance on CPEC could further strain relations between Pakistan and the US, especially after US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of providing ‘safe harbour’ to terrorists in his August speech.
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