Islamabad: China had warned the Pakistan establishment against any “new experiment” ahead of the 2018 general elections, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has claimed.
The minister made the claim during a Geo News program – ‘Jirga’ Saturday night where he lashed out at the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government for harming the $ 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
“China — in a diplomatic manner — had tried to convey (a message) to the then establishment to avoid any new experiment as it would derail CPEC,” the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader was quoted as saying by the Geo TV.
The then establishment, however, assured Beijing that whoever would come into power will not create obstacles in the path of the mega infrastructure and connectivity project.
Beijing had asked the establishment not to interfere in elections as “any experiment of change will not be beneficial for Pakistan and will destroy the CPEC”, the planning minister added.
Responding to a question, the minister stressed the need for continuity of policies for the progress and development of a country.
Launching a fresh salvo against the former ruling party, the PML-N minister accused Imran Khan’s party of scandalising the game-changer project. Corruption allegations were levelled against the project and the Western media highlighted the controversial statements made by the PTI leaders, he added.
He said that PTI minister Murad Saeed had levelled baseless corruption allegations against him involving the CPEC and embarrassed the Chinese state-owned company.
Perhaps, it happened for the first time that China’s state-owned company issued a condemnation statement against the minister whom it was working with, the minister said.
He said that the PTI-led government had ruined the sentiment developed by the PML-N through baseless allegations, delays in visa renewal of Chinese workers and other tactics.
However, Iqbal in a statement Sunday said that his statement about China in a TV interview was taken “out of context”.
“China maintains a policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of other countries. Some senior businessmen working on the CPEC projects privately expressed the opinion that fair and free election was in the best interest of Pakistan to ensure continuity,” he said.
But the minister added that by March/April 2018, it had become abundantly clear and was being openly discussed in international media that the establishment of that time didn’t want the PML-N government to return and it was helping PTI to come into power through interference in the electoral process.
Various political parties, which were in opposition during the PTI rule, claim that Imran Khan was brought to power by the powerful army by rigging the elections.
PTI
