Enemies hell-bent to sabotage CPEC, says interior minister

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal has said enemies of Pakistan were sponsoring terrorism activities to create unrest and sabotage China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

Talking to a private news channel, he said, since banned outfits were not organized here, foreign funded targeted activities against Hazara community in Quetta was conspiracy to create chaos. “Such activities are planned across the border,” he said.

He said Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) government took security of the country as a challenge in 2013 and achieved success by improving overall situation of law and order throughout the country.

Read: Eyeing another disqualification, PTI turns focus on Ahsan Iqbal

Law enforcement agencies were fighting on front-line and rendering sacrifices of lives in line of duty in Balochistan, he said adding that terror related incidents had declined due to efforts jointly made by the federal and provincial government.

The minister said security had been beefed up in the province besides enhancing capacity of the Police there.

“Work on fencing our border with Afghanistan is being completed on fast track as it is a permanent solution to stop illegal movement on the border,” he added.

Meanwhile, the minister had earlier proposed that CPEC’s Joint Working Groups for energy, infrastructure, planning and agriculture should meet next month to fast-track approval of projects.

China had announced mega development projects in Pakistan worth $46-billion under CPEC project, which focuses on road building and energy infrastructure to end chronic power shortages in Pakistan and to link China’s landlocked north-west with the deep-water port Gwadar on the Arabian Sea.

Meanwhile China will also expand industrial capacity cooperation in diverse sectors including chemical, pharmaceutical, engineering, agro, iron and steel. The two countries will also increase exploration and development of resources.

Under CPEC, a number of new economic zones will be created along the corridor.

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