Don’t Look at CPEC Through Political Prism: Pak PM Indirectly Hits at India

ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif indirectly sneered at India during his opening speech at the 23rd meeting of the Head of Governments of SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) held here on Wednesday.

Without naming India, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif spoke about the importance of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) and advised New Delhi to stop looking at the partnership between Pakistan and China with regard to CPEC and CPEC-2 through a political prism.

“Pakistan-China economic partnership in CPEC and CPEC-2 holds massive regional importance and should not be looked at through the lens of political prism,” said PM Shehbaz Sharif during his opening speech at SCO meeting in Islamabad.

Even though PM Shehbaz did not call out India by name, the above-mentioned statement is an indirect jibe at India, which has been critical of Pakistan and China’s economic cooperation through CPEC and CPEC-2, the flagship project of China’s multi-billion dollar project under its One Belt One Road (OBOR).

PM Shehbaz also called on the SCO member states to join together and realise the opportunity Afghanistan presents to the regional states for economic and development cooperation, insisting that joint efforts are required to ensure that Afghanistan soil is not used against any neighbouring state by any element to spread terrorism.

“Afghanistan needs to work towards forming a government system which represents inclusivity. The SCO member states should come together to ensure cooperation with Afghanistan and ensure that its soil is not used to spread terrorism among neighbours by any elements,” he said.

Indian Minister for External Affairs (MEA) S. Jaishankar is among the prominent leaders present in Islamabad for the SCO meeting. Jaishankar landed in Pakistan on Tuesday and was seen rubbing shoulders with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif during the SCO family photo while both had a comfortable and warm handshake at the dinner hosted by the government for all SCO member states.

It is pertinent to note that India has been critical of China and Pakistan and has repeatedly raised serious questions and concerns over CPEC projects, slamming Islamabad for allowing China to increase its presence in disputed regions of Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.