‘No mercy’ for CPEC enemies, warns Pakistan

ISLAMABAD:- Two days after Balochistan was rocked by terrorist incidents, the Prime Minister Office on Friday reiterated its commitment to "foil the nefarious designs of enemies" and exhaust all its options in pursuing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) till its completion.

"The enemies of Pakistan who are out to destabilise the country and dent our economic prospects will not be spared," said PM spokesperson Musadik Malik while addressing a press conference at the PM Office.

"We know who wants to see us fail, who wants to sabotage CPEC - the lifeline of this region. [There will be] no mercy for such elements."

The spokesperson's comments came as PM Shahid Kaqan Abbasi chaired a high-level meeting on CPEC on Friday. The meeting reiterated to continue the project till its completion regardless of any grave challenges.

 "The CPEC not only entails bright prospects for China and Pakistan, it will also be a game changer for the entire region. Those who are working against this project actually do not want to see stability in this entire region," Malik said in an obvious reference to India and its intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing.

In the recent days, terrorism gripped Balochistan with the officers up to the rank of DIG being targeted. In a terrorist activity, SP Muhammad Ilyas, his wife, son and grandson were martyred. In Turbat, 15 people, hailing from Punjab, were brutally killed while the terrorist outfit Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) claimed responsibility for the attack.

Security forces on Friday killed Younas Tawakkali, a top commander of the BLF involved in the killings of 15 labourers in Turbat.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations, Tawakkali was killed in an intelligence-based operation carried out by Frontier Crops in Alandur, Abdul Rehman village of Turbat.

Malik said the government was committed to ensuring protection of CPEC and a special force had been established for the security of the project.

"The enemies of development are trying to create unrest and anarchy in the country, but the government, with the assistance of law enforcement agencies, will foil the nefarious designs of such enemies," he said.

He said the law and order situation in the country had been discussed at the National Security Committee meeting and both civil and military leaderships once again reiterated commitment for providing safety and safeguarding the country as well as its general public.

The spokesperson claimed the country was witnessing "zero loadshedding and it will able to generate surplus electricity in the future". He added that the gas crisis would also be resolved soon.

"China will provide a grant of Rs22.25b for the construction of Gwadar airport," he said. "Work will start in November next year and will be completed within three years."