No world power can sabotage CPEC: Nisar

Kulbushan Jadhav will not be given consular access, says interior minister

ISLAMABAD: The security czar has said that Pakistan knows some countries are conspiring against the multibillion-dollar project to connect the Gwadar port to southwestern Chinese region of Xinjiang through a network of roads and railway lines.

“Some countries are opposed to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), but no power in the world can stop this project from materialising,” Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said while speaking to journalists after inaugurating the Islamabad Safe City Project in Sector H-11.



About the arrest of Indian spy by Pakistani forces, Nisar said he would not be given consular access. “Kulbhushan Jadhav is not a common Indian citizen. He entered Pakistan as an enemy and the government has decided not to give him consular access,” he added.

Kulbhushan, a former Indian naval officer, was arrested on charges of espionage in Balochistan two months ago after entering Pakistan from Iran, according to security officials. He was charged with planning subversive activities after he confessed his involvement in terror activities across Balochistan at the behest of RAW, the premier Indian intelligence agency.

In April, Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had asked for access to the spy during a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Chaudhry.

Talking to the media on Monday, Nisar however ruled out the possibility. “We have decided not to grant consular access to the Indian agent,” he said. “Kulbhushan is an Indian agent, who came to Pakistan with ulterior motives.”



Nisar said funds for the National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta) were available. A government building has been hired for Nacta and now the funds, which might have been used to pay the rent of a rented building, would be used on the renovation of the government building.

About the re-verification of identity cards, he said the challenging task would be accomplished at all cost.

He said the process had not yet properly started but citizens were already sharing information on fake identity cards of foreigners. He added the re-verification process would begin this month.

Safe City project

Earlier, Nisar inaugurated the Safe Cities project in Islamabad, a technology-based security system, which will ensure the security of residents.

About 1,800 surveillance cameras have been installed across the federal capital at a cost of Rs126 million.



The cameras will monitor all important buildings, entry and exit polls, roads, commercial centres and the major blocks in residential areas. The command and control centre of the project in housed inside a bombproof building in Sector H-11.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2016.