Zardari alleges corruption in CPEC projects

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Peoples Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Monday claimed that even the Chinese know that the projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are not corruption-free.

Mocking his political opponents during an address to FATA convention, he claimed that the “show” of both Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan is now over.

“We have no hopes from this government…it is incompetent,” Zardari said.

Taking an aim at Imran Khan, Zardari said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman is afraid of going to jail and comes out to address rallies directly from his drawing room “after Sheikh Rasheed first tells him he has reached”.

Taking credit for the progress of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, he said that efforts by his party had enabled everyone in the country to carry out political activities in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

Zardari said that the extension of the Political Parties Act to the region was made possible by his party. PPP also increased funds for FATA from Rs3 billion to Rs19 billion, he said.

“Whatever we did is in front of everyone,” the former president said.

We want FATA to merge in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ad not be a slave to a governor and the president, he added.

Zardari further said that his party wants the region to have its own high court and should be within the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction.

“I have many projects in mind for FATA. We will make FATA tax-free. This was the promise of shaheed [Zulfikar] Bhutto,” he said.

Announcing PPP secretariat in the region, he claimed that he will strengthen his party in the region and will ask its people before distributing party tickers.

The PPP co-chairman lamented that they were not given time to carry out their political campaign in the last elections, saying this time he will enter the political arena with Bilawal and Asifa Bhutto and will win the elections.