Pakistan

Army conscious of intrigues against CPEC: Gen Raheel

Vows to turn corridor into reality at all costs; emphasises need for a peaceful environment

Our Correspondent February 20, 2016

PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD:

Army chief General Raheel Sharif has said Pakistan Army is completely aware of the campaigns against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and is ready to pay any price to turn the ambitious project into reality.

“We are totally aware of all campaigns against the corridor and I vow that the security forces are ready to pay any price to turn this long cherished dream into reality,” Raheel said this on Friday during his visit to the headquarters of the new Special Security Division (SSD) specifically raised for CPEC’s security.

Army chief vows to 'pay any price' for CPEC security

The CPEC – a multibillion dollar network of roads and rail links that will connect China to Persian Gulf through Pakistan’s deep-sea port in Gwadar – was announced during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s landmark visit to Pakistan in April last year.

During the same visit President Mamnoon Hussain had told President Xi that the government had accorded approval to providing security to the Chinese working in Pakistan, and a special security division had been created for this purpose

The SSD – a special division of the Pakistan Army – is a special 12,000-strong unit for the security of the Chinese engineers working on the 3,000-kilometre-long route.

In one of his previous tweets on micro-blogging site Twitter, the Inter Services Public Relations’ (ISPR) Director General Lt-Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa had said the SSD would comprise nine army battalions and six wings of the civil armed forces, and the entire unit will be commanded by a major-general.

Pakistan Army to establish HQ in Diamer district to ensure CPEC security

According to the ISPR’s statement issued on Friday, General Raheel put emphasis on coordination among law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to ensure security of the project. He termed the project a game changer with the potential to transform lives of the country’s people.

“There is a need to ensure peaceful environment to be able to push all planned development projects,” Raheel said, as he reiterated commitment of the Pakistan Army to provide security for the project and the workforce involved.

Earlier, General Raheel was given a detailed briefing on the progress on raising the force and wide-ranging security aspects of the project. On arrival, General Raheel was received by Lieutenant General Malik Zafar Iqbal and the SSD Commander Major General Abid Rafique.

Sindh presents case on CPEC

Meanwhile, Parliamentary Committee on the CPEC met on Friday morning under the chairmanship of Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed and discussed issues related to the CPEC.

Pakistan Army leaving no stone unturned to protect Chinese investment

Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah presented perspective of his government on the CPEC before the committee as he urged the federal government to convene a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to address concerns of the provinces.

The government is supposed to convene CCI meeting once in three months as per the Constitution. The delay of around 10 months in the convening of CCI meeting prompted the Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani to give a ruling last week, asking the government to hold its meeting at the earliest.

Murad Ali Shah urged the government to establish a port at Keti Bandar as a special terminal for the export of coal as well as a rail link and Special Economic Zone to support the proposed port.

The committee directed the ministry of ports and shipping to have consultation with experts of Sindh government to examine the feasibility so that Thar could become the future powerhouse of Pakistan.

CPEC project: PM, army chief agree to bolster corridor security

The panel also discussed the issue of Port Qasim being used for a coal power project. After hearing both sides, the chairman directed the ministry of water and power, ministry of ports and shipping and the ministry of petroleum and natural resources to have substantive and speedy discussions with the government of Sindh to resolve this issue at the earliest.

On the issue of the Sukhi Kenari hydel power project in Kyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the chairman constituted a 2-member sub-committee – comprising Senator Lt Gen (Retd) Salahuddin Tirmizi and Senator Shibli Faraz – to coordinate both with the provincial and federal government to resolve the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2016.

COMMENTS (18)

VINOD | 8 years ago | Reply @SK: I sincerely agree with you. However as long as the majority is uneducated and downtrodden the politicians exploit and amass wealth. But even then, democracy provides the best opportunity for the downtrodden. Let all of us work hard towards modern scientific education and do not fall prey to sentimental exploitation in the name of past glories and hate towards others.

NHA | 8 years ago | Reply @curious2: ONE THING IS MUST. YOU JUST STAY OUT OF THIS THING. LEAVE IT TO THOSE WHO KNOW WAHT TO DO.

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SK | 8 years ago | Reply @VINOD: I partially agree with you but those indicators you mentioned, itself is no guarantor of a stable sub-continent.The tranquality and peace would only return if the leaders on both sides are sincere, honest and have genuine concerns for poor.The corruption eats the economy on both sides of the border. Unless true accountability, speedy justice, equity and good governance becomes the practiced norms in both countries. these cosmetic changes will have no effect.

VINOD | 8 years ago | Reply Three indicators point out that slowly civil leadership is emerging to take rightful control in a democratic country. 1. The PM's acceptance that Kargil incident was a back stab to India,2. Gen Raheel's public statement that he will not seek any extension of his term as chief of Army,3. An FIR has been lodged in the case of Pathankot attack and an SIT will visit India, The good of the subcontinent lies in full realisation of dream of the Quaid Mr. Jinnah that we should coexist and live peacefully with free borders and unrestricted movement.

sputnik | 8 years ago | Reply tell the sharif is it punjab corridor or pak corridor, if govt has huge money for punjab corridor y it does not have money for basha dam?

curious2 | 8 years ago | Reply One thing for sure - he is having a tough time securing the Waziristan's. Maybe he should focus on those before expanding his horizons? He should also allow reporters in to access what's actually happening.

Blithe | 8 years ago | Reply The project was delayed by one year by Imran khan Niazi and TuQ – why are those miscreants not in jail?

jaffar khan | 8 years ago | Reply Government is totally failed to address the the voices from Kp and Baluchistan.I think their should be a senate body who will overlook the whole CPEC and recommend the the route the people desire on both sides i.e eastren and westren. Same like Baluchistan and Kpk south Punjab is also not developed.The first periority of govt should be westren route following the central route because these people are more deprived since the inception of Pakistan.

Last Man Alive | 8 years ago | Reply With indians' business partners sitting in our prime minister house we don't need much conspiracies for our decimation

SK | 8 years ago | Reply @Shah.007: I beg to differ from you , unless you are living in total ignorance you should understand that KPK and Baluchistan had been under security threats since many years. It is easy to deal with external threat than internal. It is equally difficult to trace enemies within. Army's job is to protect the country against external threats and its government local and central responsibilities to ensure internal peace using efficient policing and implementing laws. Ironically Army is doing both .

Muhammad Asim | 8 years ago | Reply @Shah.007, We the educated people of KPK are with General Raheel and Pak army, apart from the so called nationalists thieves. Nationalists have ruined our lives and we boycott them as we boycotted them during the election. Pakistan Zindabad.

NHA | 8 years ago | Reply @Shah.007: My dear Mr Shah 007 , you know, the security is part of the design of the project. It is not special to CPEC , it happens in ALL large projects all over the world. Now the case of Pak Military providing security to CPEC , It is the duty of national security and defence institutions to cater for security. The KPK and Balochistan Police must be putting together security plans as is done in all cases. It is like establishing Police security posts along the G.T Road or M-1 Motorway. Even Sher Shah Suri put up garrisons to provide safe passage to travellers along the GT Road. Now for completing 3 routes, they all will be done and done systematically. It is the time for provinces and regions to compete among themselves for development projects but not against each other. Hope you will allow yourself to be convinced by above the argument.

NHA | 8 years ago | Reply @Adnan: Adnan, it is not largesse from China . It is investment with strategic implications. It suits both China and Pakistan. This is how the world works. Did you not hear Lockheed is willing to put up infrastructure and make F-16s in India. How will you explain this. Is it a favour ? Think.

NHA | 8 years ago | Reply @Question: It is a most stupid question I have ever come across. It is the mandate of national security and defence institutions to provide security to people and property and this is waht the Pak Military is doing.

Adnan | 8 years ago | Reply Suddenly it seems CPEC is the last hope for Pakistan. Why can't the nation do things on its own? How long will it depend on the generosity of other nations to survive?

Shah.007 | 8 years ago | Reply General Drama Sharif, We the educated people of KPK are also well aware of the intrigues, machintions and the role of the Punjabi dominated establishment and Punjabi army aka Pakistan Army in depriving the backward areas of KPK and Balochistan of our due share in the economic corridor. We are well aware that whatever Nawaz govt is doing in this regard has got your backing as they wouldnt have dared without your tacit support. We are sick of your arguments that there would be a greater security risk. If you cant provide us security then get out of our areas and let us be. Why cant you guys ensure that all three routes are completed on the exact same dates???

Question | 8 years ago | Reply Why is army so concerned about a govt infrastructure project. Unless thier are kickbacks.

abreez | 8 years ago | Reply I think GOP should do one thing as soon as possible, by road travel to Saudi Arab and GCC countries via Karachi to Gwadar and via Oman to GCC countries. I think sooner Pakistan will give GCC countries tourist the better and in return more savings of Pakistani’s working there. Pakistan should tell both Arab countries and Iran that for Pakistan both relations Pak-Arab and Pak-Iran are very important, therefore no country should expect from Pakistan that it will help any country against any other country. Pakistan will help its friends in development but in destruction Pakistan will remain neutral.

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