PAT asks Shahbaz Sharif not to draw political mileage from Pak-China bond

Commenting on Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s statement regarding his China visit, PAT central President Dr Raheeq Ahmad Abbasi has said that China is a great friend of Pakistan and the rulers should refrain from using this time-tested friendship for their political and personal purposes. He said that only time will decide about the nature and reality of $45 billion the rulers have been talking about whether it is a loan or an investment. He further asked as to how the corrupt rulers will ensure implementation of these agreements under the corrupt system.

The PAT President further said that bilateral friendship between Pakistan and China exists at the state and people-to-people level as the hearts of both nations beat together. He said that the Sharif brothers will not be able to draw political mileage from this ever-strengthening bond between both friendly countries, adding that conspiracy to affect the bilateral relationship by describing the sit-ins as hindrance in the Chinese investment will fail.

Dr Abbasi revealed that Shahbaz Sharif endangered Chinese investment by stopping work on ongoing projects after assuming power in 2008 and then he convinced the Chinese companies to resume work on the incomplete projects in Punjab by paying fine of millions of dollars. He said that we are fearful that incompetent and corrupt rulers will not be able to realize the potential of investment offer because they did not leave the state-owned enterprises in such a condition as to be able to complete the projects.