Ready to pay any price to protect national interests: COAS

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif (COAS) has reiterated his vow to defeat nefarious designs of Pakistan’s enemies against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, saying it holds enormous potential for transforming the lives of region’s people.

Addressing the Naval Academy passing out parade in Karachi on Saturday, the COAS said Pakistan is willing to pay any price to protect and safeguard its interests, including Kashmir and CPEC. “We are well aware of enemy campaigns and will defeat designs against it,” the army chief said.

“The China, Pakistan Economic Corridor holds enormous potential for transforming the lives of the region’s people,” General Raheel was quoted as saying by DG ISPR Major General Asim Bajwa.

His statement was made in an apparent reference to the Indian leadership’s remarks in which it clearly declined to accept the multi-billion dollar economic corridor between Pakistan and China.

Last Wednesday, in a meeting with the Chinese Vice Minister of Ministry of State Security Dong Haizhou at the army’s general headquarters in Rawalpindi, General Raheel Sharif assured the Chinese authorities of full cooperation for secure completion of the CPEC.

In a series of tweets, the ISPR head also quoted the COAS saying the entire world endorsed Pakistan’s security concerns.

General Raheel Sharif said that ceasefire violation, bloodletting in Balochistan, FATA and Karachi manifested the enemies’ hostile intent. The army chief added that Pakistan had shown a willingness to cooperate with other nations for peace but not at the expense of the country’s national interests, sovereignty and national pride.

COAS emphasised that the armed forces were ready to pay any price to protect Pakistan’s nationhood, safeguard interests whether it was Kashmir, development of new ports or exploitation of natural resources.

According to the army chief, CPEC with Gwadar Port as its catalyst would be built and developed as one of the most strategic deep sea ports in the region and this would be done at any cost whatsoever.

General Raheel emphasised that the entire nation expresses resolve to eliminate terrorism and Operation Zarb-e-Azb was delivering decisive results while terrorists were resorting to desperate actions.

“The battle versus terrorism will not be won by armed forces alone. It is encouraging to see entire nation pursuing this national effort with great sense of purpose”.

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