Islamabad
\nStrongly reacting to Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal\u2019s statement regarding China and the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) \u2014 the former ruling party \u2014 on Sunday said that the insinuation that \u201cour iron brother would interfere in our domestic affairs is baffling and insulting\u201d.
\nA day earlier, the federal minister accused the former PTI-led government of \u201charming\u201d the key infrastructure development project and revealed that Beijing had warned the then-establishment against any \u201cnew experiment\u201d ahead of the 2018 general elections.
\nSpeaking during Geo News programme Jirga, the PML-N leader said: \u201cChina \u2014 in a diplomatic manner \u2014 had tried to convey [a message] to the then establishment to avoid any new experiment as it would derail CPEC.\u201d
\nLater, Ahsan Iqbal in a statement on social media said that his statement about China in a TV interview is out of context and needs clarification.
\nTaking to his Twitter handle, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi called the incumbent minister\u2019s statement \u201cunfortunate and irresponsible\u201d.
\nGiving details about the CPEC projects completed in the party\u2019s tenure, Qureshi said, \u201cWith the PTI, there has always been strong consensus on taking CPEC forward, and under Imran Khan\u2019s leadership we successfully implemented the following projects, deepening Pakistan\u2019s commitment to CPEC under the PTI government.\u201d
\nHe added that the Faisalabad Rashakai Industrial zones were made operational, and the Dhabaji Industrial zone was finalised, which is under construction.
\nThe PTI leader, whose government was toppled via a vote of no-confidence in April 2022, said that science, technology and agriculture \u2014 three new joint working groups \u2014 negotiated and added in phase II of CPEC in their tenure.
\n\u201cAll power plants under construction completed; Power generation projects completed and added transmission project,\u201d he added.
\nIn addition to this, the former foreign minister said that the PTI-led government had constructed several highways.
\n\u2018Shameful attempt\u2019
\nMeanwhile, PTI Information Secretary Raoof Hasan said that the PML-N leader\u2019s allegation on Chain about interference in Pakistan\u2019s politics was \u201cshameful\u201d.
\nThe minister\u2019s controversial remark was a shameful example of sacrificing Pakistan\u2019s interests for personal and political gain, Hasan added.
\nHe added that the series of harming national interest by leaders having no foresight should be stopped.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Islamabad Strongly reacting to Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal\u2019s statement regarding China and the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) \u2014 the former ruling party \u2014 on Sunday said that the insinuation that \u201cour iron brother would interfere in our domestic affairs is baffling and insulting\u201d. A day earlier, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":342244,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-342223","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n