Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif has accused India of destabilising his country and attempting to “subvert” its crucial $46 billion economic corridor project with China.
Speaking at a seminar on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the coastal town of Gwadar, he said the significance of a China Pakistan economic cooperation had “raised eyebrows” in the region and India had openly opposed the project. “The CPEC is a deep manifestation of the time-tested relations between China and Pakistan. But there are foreign forces who, realising the potential of CPEC and wanting an influential role in the region, are working to destabilise Pakistan and the project,” Raheel said yesterday. “Hostile intelligence agencies were averse to this grand project (CPEC), especially Indian intelligence agency RAW, which is blatantly involved in destabilising Pakistan,” the Pakistan Army Chief claimed.
But “we will not allow anyone to create impediments and turbulence in any part of Pakistan”, he added.
Describing the project as “a corridor of peace and prosperity”, Raheel said that CPEC is a lifetime opportunity for Pakistan to improve the socio-economic equation of its underprivileged areas and populace. However, there were “external intelligence agencies who are involved in facilitating terrorists, their abettors and financiers in Pakistan in a bid to subvert the economic corridor project,” he said. “As COAS, I assure you security of CPEC which is our national undertaking. We won t leave any stone unturned and continue to close watch at every step,” the General said.
He said work on the CPEC was progressing at a fast pace and already 675 kilometres of roads had been completed in just two years’ time.
“Transparency and good management is important for sustainability of the CPEC which will eventually benefit the people of Balochistan and Pakistan,” he said. Other speakers said on the occasion that Gwadar port will be fully operative by the end of 2016 and will slowly become hub of international trade.
