Pakistan

Any attempt to obstruct, impede CPEC will be thwarted: COAS

Gen Raheel Sharif says elimination of the ETIM a manifestation of their resolve

Web Desk July 31, 2015

ISLAMABAD: The army chief on Friday reiterated that any attempt to obstruct or impede the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be thwarted.

According to a statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Friday evening,, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif congratulated the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) on its 88^th anniversary. He also commended the deep ties between Pakistan and China.

Noting that cooperation for CPEC will benefit the entire region, in addition to seeing both participating nations progressing with the dividend of maximizing geo-strategic location, Gen Raheel said that they will defeat the nefarious designs of forces detrimental to Pakistan and China.

COAS at 88th Anniversary of People's Liberation Army of China pic.twitter.com/QCeYNFo2ff
— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) July 31, 2015

"I reiterate our firm resolve that any attempt to obstruct or impede this project will be thwarted at all costs."

The army chief, while noting that China’s enemy was Pakistan’s enemy, pointed out that the elimination of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) -- an extremist group which largely operates in the border Xinjiang region -- was a manifestation of their resolve.

Gen Raheel also fired broadsides at state and non-state actors trying to destabilise Afghanistan.

“Our cooperation for regional stability will squeeze space for state and non-state actors for a stable Afghanistan,” the statement added.

The army chief, while expressing the hope that the world too would look at the CPEC through the same lens that Pakistan does, said that he had visited the construction sites to observe the pace of work. He added work was going on in full gear.

“Our deep, resolute relations, our all weather friendship is sweeter than honey, higher than the Himalaya, and deeper than ocean,” he commented, adding that “Our (Pakistan and China) friendship will further grow in these testing times.”

The army chief also participated in an event to mark the 88th anniversary of the PLA in Islamabad on Friday evening where the Chinese Ambassador was also present.

COMMENTS (12)

Afzal | 8 years ago | Reply @Vectra: You are a liar! Your style and language reveals you are always waiting for a chance to emerge from your gutter and crawl onto this page. I can confirm however that your Indy has grown tremendously but only in the size of its azz which every often begins to leak requiring some puncture repair by the neighbours. And you are ahead of most countries in: malnourishment, farmers suiciding, number of people below abstract poverty, gangrapes and sale of female babies. Shame on you.

Raj - USA | 8 years ago | Reply @N.S: "The main concern for India is China access to Gawadar port and subsequently to Arabian sea, otherwise Pakistan-China trade was going on for the last 40 years through Karakorum highway and it mostly passes through Gilgit-Baltistan, of a total of 700 kms." It is not China getting access to Arabian Sea. It is China building a naval port to station their naval fleet and submarines in Gwadar port. It is not just India that is objecting it but US also will not allow it. US will never allow China's navy to be given a port that would bring its fleet in the Arabian sea face-to-face with China's navy. Iran also has its concerns and objections. If China gets Gwadar port, Baluchistan will get separated from Pakistan. CPEC which does not involve handing over Gwadar to China and is solely for commercial purpose and also that it does not involve China bringing in its army personnel disguised as engineers and project workers will be acceptable to all. However, China is not going to make huge investments only for a commercial land route. China has factored these risks and this is one reason that China is demanding usurious interest rate of 18.5% per annum with sovereign guaranty. Pakistan's politicians are only looking to get fast kick-backs from China and are giving away their territory to China. Pakistans army generals are betting on benefitting china-cutting of adjacent land all along the CPEC route to make profits from appreciation of its value. China is not going to make substantial investments unless it is sure that US and India will not try to impede it. Gwadar may be Pakistan's territory but no one is going to allow Pakistan to give it away to China and China constructing a naval port there. It is easy to sell anything to the public in Pakistan by saying that India is objecting to it or that it will harm India. The truth is US is as much or even more against it as India. As I said many times before, India cannot do much on its own and India also knows this. But with US support, it can accomplish anything and everything. US will let its position known as soon as China makes some substantial investment, if not earlier.

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Vectra | 8 years ago | Reply Well i am a person who never trolls here and there unlike some who without putting their mind boast their chest.If one looks logically then you may like it or not then those who are warning India of consequence fails to realist that India has grown tremendously in power and strength.They are at advantage in every single field and the empty threat to them will only invite retaliation just like last year when both pak army and govt 1st do chest thumping and later just within a week things went out of control that pakistan could not handle and requested India to stop retaliating and even went to UN requesting to persuade India to stop firing.This is not some illusion but a ground fact that even pakistani news outlets even Dawn has published it.

Ali | 8 years ago | Reply Well Done General!! It is very important to keep reminding the detractors. Keep it up!

Hassan Shah | 8 years ago | Reply @vectra please shed some Light on Gurdaspur incidence, was that mood or choice....

Bilal | 8 years ago | Reply @vectra. He is reiterating it so raw knows he is not mucking around, and while raw has been largely been successful in destabilising Pakistan over the last decade funding terror groups in Pakistan if they try to impede this project there will be serious consequences. For once Pakistan has a leader in him who is proactive and walks the talk.

Hamza | 8 years ago | Reply He is doing a great job on letting the whole world know about Indian bullish interventions in other countries. He said the same thing when he was in Italy last week, and South Africa last month. Keep up the good work General!

pak47 | 8 years ago | Reply CPEC is a vision of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. Army must do its job protecting borders.

Fakhir | 8 years ago | Reply @Vectra. Please take some medication that will help you indians digest CPEC. CPEC is a reality that the Indians will have to accept and live with. No doubts or questions about it.

N.S | 8 years ago | Reply The main concern for India is China access to Gawadar port and subsequently to Arabian sea, otherwise Pakistan-China trade was going on for the last 40 years through Karakorum highway and it mostly passes through Gilgit-Baltistan, of a total of 700 kms. India never objected to this highway or the two way trade through it, suddenly with Gwadar in the picture and China access to it the CPEC becomes objectionable.

Abdul Rehman | 8 years ago | Reply @Vectra: He didn't publicly mentioned that india is the threat and you're bringing india in here.That shows that you do realize india has been a destabilizing factor in Pakistan.

Vectra | 8 years ago | Reply The General seems to be too much in fear of India that i am not wrong then think he is giving such statement a 5th or a 6th time.Well i am not surprised,India is a very professional and influential geopolitical player in the world.I mean India always has the answer to every counter move but lacks a political will to do so but all depends on its mood and choice

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