Prime Minister during recent weeks inaugurated at least 12 to 15 projects worth billions of rupees relating to China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which include: 340 Megawatt Nuclear Power Plant, 40 megawatts (MW) coal fired power project, free trade zone, business complex of Gwadar Port Authority, Pak-China government primary school Faqir Colony, Sawar and Shadikor dams, Gwadar University, N-85 Surab-Hoshab Road, Greater Iqbal Park Project, gas project in Kohat and broadband sustainable development project for Chitral and Shangla.
However, people from different walks of life showed a mixed reaction on these inaugurations with a few stating that they would put the country firmly on the path to development while the majority accused the Prime Minister of using inaugurations to divert public attention from the court hearing on Panama papers. But the two groups with opposing views termed Panama papers hearings a defining moment and a turning point in the country's politics before the general elections scheduled for 2018.
Talking to Business Recorder Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development & Transparency (PILDAT), said that in every public poll people favour the party who focuses on infrastructure development and added that the PML-N when in government always focuses on infrastructure development to get votes.
He said that the inauguration of different development projects by the Prime Minister shows that PML-N is in election preparation mood. But at the same time the government is under intense pressure in the backdrop of the Panama case and wants to use these inaugurations as a tool to face the challenge and divert public attention, he added.
"No doubt the judgement in the Panama case would affect the next general election but it would solely be dependent on the way the judgement, whatever it may be, is exploited by any party", he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017