Staff Reporter
Islamabad
The US opposition to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) can be the beginning of a cold war between American and China, a business leader said.
Business community reject US criticism on CPEC and laud resolve of Pakistan and China to complete the mega project to improve the economy and lives of the people, said Shahid Rasheed Butt former President ICCI.
He said that the project consisting of road, rail and shipping networks is in the interest of Pakistan and China while the US should not be concerned about its impact on our economy.
Shahid Rasheed Butt said that efforts to create misunderstanding between Beijing and Islamabad will never succeed as the mega project will not only improve infrastructure but provide jobs to hundreds of thousands of people in the second phase of industrialization.
The business leader noted that the US should not use our soil for economic blockade of China and avoid targeting CPEC to gain influence in Pakistan.
Both US and China are important for Pakistan and we will never make our country to become a battleground between two superpowers, he said.
The veteran business leader said that Pakistan is aware of the importance of this project and abandoning this initiative is no longer an option.
Mr. Butt said that China has never exploited Pakistan or any other country the way western countries have exploited the third world. China will never demand loan repayment at any time when Pakistan is unable to pay back.
He called upon the important countries to stop blackmailing Pakistan in the name of loans and FATF as it will not push us to close the mega project.
