Pakistan

Lt Gen Aamir invites India to join CPEC

Commander Southern Command asks Delhi to give up hostility towards Pakistan

Our Correspondent December 20, 2016

QUETTA: Amid escalating tension between the two nuclear-tipped states, Commander Southern Command Lt General Amir Riaz on Tuesday invited India to join the China Pakistan Economic Corridor and ‘share the fruits of future development by shelving the anti-Pakistan activities and subversion’.

Speaking at an awards distribution ceremony at Balochistan FC Headquarters, he said that India should shun enmity with Pakistan and join the CPEC along with Iran, Afghanistan and other Central Asian countries and enjoy its benefits.

China rubbishes claims of 'wrongdoing' in CPEC

He said Balochistan was on the path to economic development and the common people could not be misled by the self-exiled leaders.

“Their catchy slogans will not work because the people are aware of their designs and they cannot be misled,” Lt General Amir Riaz said.

He praised services of the FC personnel in the fight against terrorism and subversion in Balochistan saying that around 700 FC personnel had laid down their lives defending the country.

The commander said that Balochistan has faced terrorism and subversion on a huge scale during the past 10 years and the militants have imposed their ideology on the common people.

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Lt Gen Amir Riaz said that the FC and its personnel have fought back separatist elements bravely and have lost around 700 lives in fighting foreign-sponsored terror and subversion, adding that the FC would continue to fight enemies of the country in future with equal courage.

He further said that the enemy could not see Balochistan developing and moving towards prosperity.

He said Pakistan and its neighbouring countries could benefit from CPEC projects while the people can enjoy peace and stability by cooperating with the FC.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2016.

COMMENTS (33)

Iftikhar | 7 years ago | Reply we already gave many human life due to Afghan war and accommodating of Black Water in Pakistan. I think we may not accommodate any RAW in shape of any business in Pakistan.

Ahmad | 7 years ago | Reply Salute Gen Amir Sir if India refuse then no pblm sir we will make it so large that on day India will beg for it. Q ke this time India hay, lever of iron inside the neck

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Timmy | 7 years ago | Reply Haha, look at how the Indians in the comments section are trying to handle this googly bowled by Lt. Gen. Aamir.

Allaisa | 7 years ago | Reply Who needs India when 250 cuntries in the world have already joined CPEC?

ejaz | 7 years ago | Reply @Raj - USA: yes we have chinese here everywhere and you need to be worried of them, not us. they are our friends and they r gonna penetrate you soon

Blithe | 7 years ago | Reply Under what capacity is he inviting other countries . He should be given a shut up call . Let the FO deal with such matters

Asif | 7 years ago | Reply @Raj - USA: The problem is these political elite rather than running a country are more fit for the movie "Dumb and Dumber". This General has overstepped his authority and will be fired.

SG | 7 years ago | Reply CPEC - an economic corridor that links South Pakistan to China - meant for Chinese to reduce their shipping costs. What is in this project for India to join?

GHAZAL-INDIA | 7 years ago | Reply OK. THANKS best of luck for you

Vectra | 7 years ago | Reply A welcome offer which India will definitely like to accept but just cancel that GB route part until some solution is reached with India as that part is officially a part of India as per it's Constitution and India will never compromise on that by accepting the current CPEC route map until and unless the GB route is removed from CPEC. BTW Pakistan will need India more than ever as India currently has now now become worlds 5th biggest economy surpassing that of UK's in real or Nominal GDP or exchange rates apart from already worlds 3rd largest in Purchasing power term as reported by Forbes,Reuter and Sputnik,besides now a days good roads like CPEC are things of past.

Saad | 7 years ago | Reply I think China already invited India to join OBOR but India is refusing it by bringing Azad Kashmir issue here

Vectra | 7 years ago | Reply A welcome offer which India will definitely like to accept but just cancel that GB route part until some solution is reached with India as that part is officially a part of India as per it's Constitution. BTW Pakistan will need India more than ever as India currently has now now become worlds 5th biggest economy surpassing that of UK's in real or Nominal GDP or exchange rates apart from already worlds 3rd largest in Purchasing power term as reported by Forbes,Reuter and Sputnik

Asif | 7 years ago | Reply Media is just creating hype by stating that General invited India. He just expressed his wish that India should join. This should not be taken as invitation.

wiserneighbour | 7 years ago | Reply The joke is that a Chinese minister is asking pakistan's politicians to show maturity and united to welcome the chinese benevolence on high interest rate and this man has the audacity to invite India when his own awam are divided on the issue.As an establishment man,you should know what your guys are doing on border working as porters for the infiltrators pushed by your establishment inside kashmir.First advise your people to stop that nonsense and then invite others to join your dream projects acquired by surrendering own dignity.

Hakim Afghani | 7 years ago | Reply It's very funny... Indeed very very funny. Pakistanis will never understand mentality of Afghans and India. Pakistanis are still day dreaming that Afghans and Indians will join CPEC. lol

Lumdheeng | 7 years ago | Reply Lt Gen Amir Riaz knows very well, India will never join CPEC, just want to show the world, the offer. Secondly Pakistan has no viable proof that India is involved in subversive activities. Kulbushan Yadav was also falsely arrested, according to Sartaz Aziz.

Mayor | 7 years ago | Reply It looks like lot of Pakistanis have drank the kool aid given by the Chinese that CPEC will catapult them to super power status.

VINOD | 7 years ago | Reply Pakistan is a unique great country and a sovereign democracy where officials of a foreign country China, tender their advice publicly asking people to stop propaganda against CPEC and all political parties of Pakistan to unite for CPEC. And strangely, an Army Commander of Pakistan Army address directly another foreign country, India, inviting her to join CPEC. Where is government of Pakistan please.

wutwut | 7 years ago | Reply Under what capacity is he extending such invitations?

salman | 7 years ago | Reply The headline is subjective and wrong.

Azeem Khalid | 7 years ago | Reply Is it a joke or a kind of funny thing?? There are two important points to mention here. 1. Express Tribune needs to seriously think what the headline is and what the General has said. Apparently, the headline and the story are not matching. Angling done, ain't fair in this regard. Comment of General is a suggestive kind of thing. The news story makes it look like a policy thing. 2. General is in no position to give the policy statement. His position is different from what he has been portrayed here.

Pakistani | 7 years ago | Reply @Rahat: Just to remind you that NS is also the FM. You have also seen the damage that it has done in the past 3 years.

Dil se | 7 years ago | Reply good gesture may not go well with people with own agenda.Pakistan can start good relations by taking care of disturbing elements . Both poor countries are feeding the rich countries.

Sabi | 7 years ago | Reply @Raj - USA: Do you really watch people like Arif Bhatti Shahid Masood? No body take them seriously. Open up your eyes and listen to what sane voices in Pakistan are saying. Cpec is entirely an economic corridor which will be run and controlled by Pakistan.

tatvavetta | 7 years ago | Reply Role of Pakistani army is not understood. General Raheel helps Musharraf to leave the country. Commander Souther Command invites Government of India to join CPEC. COAS confirms capital punishment to criminals. Army court tries killers and murderers. COAS visits China ,USA, EU for discussions with their respective governments.What is Government of Pakistan and Judiciary supposed to do? Who do we deal with?

abreez | 7 years ago | Reply His Royal Highness, the prince from Kakul, should understand that world is heading towards an arena where country to country relationship will matter. When Pakistan will purchase inflation of China, Russia, Central Asia, Iran, Turkey, Oman, and other Arab countries then which country will purchase Pakistan’s inflation.

John Nayak | 7 years ago | Reply This fool doesn't understand that we are already joined with CPEC as it runs through our territory .

ajeet | 7 years ago | Reply We can join CPEC if Pakistan returns the Indian territory it gifted China and declares Baluchistan independent.

RK Singh | 7 years ago | Reply First - Lt Gen Amir is a army man. The invite should come from PM Shareef. Is Mr.Nawaz Shareef reporting to him by chance? Second. CPEC is ok. But why block India-Afghan road connection? What is the big logic. You want fruits and vegetables to go all the way to Gwadar and get loaded on a ship and then reach Mumbai port and then again travel 2000 KM to New Delhi by road???? It will be cheaper to use air transport.

Abdul Awwal | 7 years ago | Reply Is he indirectly asking money from India ?

Abdul Awwal | 7 years ago | Reply The Lt General should look in the mirror and see how hollow and fake he might be sounding.

Rahat | 7 years ago | Reply General! With all due respect, let the Foreign Office handle matters related to foreign affairs.

Raj - USA | 7 years ago | Reply Honestly, I don't think that anyone in Pakistan, be it Nawaz Sharif or COAS has any authority or power to invite anyone else to join CPEC. CPEC is China's military project to make Gwadar their naval base and station their army throughout Pakistan. So, China will not permit anyone in Pakistan to invite others to join CPEC. Just wait and watch what happens to Lt. Gen. Aamir for inviting India to join CPEC. Also, watch this video clip as to what Arif Hameed Bhatti is saying in his TV talkshow "The Reporters - Dec. 20, 2016". http://www.zemtv.com/2016/12/20/humhare-pas-jo-chinese-arahe-hain-un-ka-koi-hisab-nahe-hai-arif-hameed-bhatti/ He is complaining that Chinese are everywhere in Pakistan and Lahore is full of Chinese. No one knows how many Chinese are in Pakistan, if they are on visas and what work are they doing in Pakistan.

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