The opponents of our Maathruboomiya are crying foul about the Colombo Port City Project and slandering the government with false publicity.
They are backed by a media that is controlled by unscrupulous business magnates to stall the progress of our nation and to suit the Western powers. This has to be confronted upfront by the Government, by any means, within the “rule of law”. A suggestion - President Gotabaya Rajapaksa should discuss with the Chinese Government to arrange all parliamentarians, including those in the opposition ones to visit the US$. 46 billion “Karakoram Highway Project” (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor – CPEC.), named the “Eighth Wonder of the world” by the international media, in Pakistan.
Infrastructure
All these MPs should be given a tour of this wonderful highway project and the allied infrastructure projects that are being developed in accordance with this “CPEC” project.
If Sri Lanka journalists and media personnel are included, that will help a lot in bringing forth a concrete “Political Communication” publicity of print, audio and visual, electronically to the masses of our Maathruboomiya who are being misled by the “anti-China friendship” propaganda that has been let loose by the Western allied opposition in our country.
This will give an insight of the benefits that Pakistan is gaining economically and socially and the 11 – 14 billion sterling pounds of trade that is happening because of this project annually, even though the project is still to be finally completed.
The visitors should travel the full length of the of the “Karakoram Highway Project” from Pakistan to China to gain the best insight and knowledge of what China’s friendship project has contributed to the infrastructure, socio-economic and social welfare development of Pakistan.
Western China
The two-way road (known as Karakoram Highway and China-Pakistan Friendship Highway) is 1.300km (810 miles) long running through disputed Kashmir from Hassan Abdal (a small town near Rawalpindi and Islamabad) to Kashgar, in Xinjiang province, Western China.
It is said to be the highest paved international road in the world running between Western China and Pakistan. It’s the road to paradise if you like exploring the mountains. It’s once in a lifetime road trip for adventure lovers.
It has been built jointly by Pakistani and Chinese engineers, technicians and workers as a joint workforce of brothers. The highway was a joint Pakistani and Chinese project and required the skills of about 24,000 workers.
Port City
The Colombo Port City Project in Sri Lanka will be a similar successful project once the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill is approved by parliament.
Moreover, Sri Lanka should also join the CPEC project as invited by the PM of Pakistan Imran Khan during his recent visit to Sri Lanka.
The writer is a peace and political activist, Political Communication Researcher, SLFP/SLPP stalwart, Convener “The Muslim Voice” and Member “Viyathmaga”.
Courtesy - Lankaweb