Islamabad: Pakistan army chief on Wednesday assured China that maximum security would be provided for the USD 46 billion economic corridor that passes through PoK and there will be no hurdles in the completion of the project opposed by India.
Army chief General Raheel Sharif gave the assurances over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) during his meeting with Chinese Vice Minister of Ministry of State Security Dong Haizhou at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.
The project, launched in April during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Pakistan, aims to link western China with Balochistan's Gwadar port, allowing China access to the Middle East via the Arabian Sea.
The Pakistan Army in a brief statement today said "matters relating to bilateral interest, regional security and security of CPEC came under discussion during the meeting."
Defence sources, however, said the army chief assured that a fool-proof apparatus has been put in place to provide security to the Chinese personnel involved in the project.
"China attaches great importance to its relations with Pakistan, and early completion of the project would not only benefit Pakistan and China but also the entire region," Haizhou was quoted as saying in the statement.
The project is opposed by India as it passes through the PoK.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "very strongly" raised the issue with Chinese leaders when he visited China in May.
