ISLAMABAD: Hitting out at his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi terming the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor unacceptable, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the country’s ‘enemies’ are sabotaging its development projects by destabilizing it.
“Pakistan’s enemies are not happy with the country’s progress and development and want to weaken it through incidents such as Mastung bus attack,” Nawaz said, while presiding over a high-level meeting in Quetta on Tuesday.
Regretting the statement against China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Nawaz said it has clearly exposed the Indian designs of hegemony.
“You can see the statements given by neighbouring countries and them telling China that the economic corridor is ‘unacceptable’,” Nawaz said in a direct reference to Modi’s statement.
Read: China-Pakistan Economic Corridor ‘unacceptable’, Modi tells China
Days earlier, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that Modi “very strongly” raised the issue regarding China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) during his recent visit to Beijing, and termed the project “unacceptable”.
“Prime minster during his visit took up the issue very firmly and spoke very strongly that the CPEC going through PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) is unacceptable,” Swaraj said at a press conference.
However, the premier appreciated China for rejecting India’s reservations on the mega project.
Further, Nawaz emphasised the need for national solidarity and unity to foil the designs of internal and external enemies against the country.
“The enemy is using different tactics to divide the nation on sectarian and ethnic grounds but we will thwart their designs with unity,” he upheld.
“I am not sure whether local or foreign elements are stirring clashes between people of Pakistan but they want to divide the nation and are creating problems.”
Urging the nation to set aside ethnic differences, Nawaz said, “We should not forget we are Pakistani first.”
Expressing grief over the Mastung bus attack, Nawaz directed authorities to arrest perpetrators of the attack immediately.
The premier is on an official one-day tour to the city in wake of the brutal Mastung bus attack in which at least 22 people were killed.
“The Mastung incident is extremely tragic and has shocked the entire nation,” he added.
Read: Mastung attack: Home minister blames RAW as death toll climbs to 22
Further, reiterating the government’s resolve to eradicate terrorism and extremism from the country, Nawaz said, “Operation Zarb-e-Azb is progressing and TDPs are now going back to their homes.”
The provincial government formally invited all political parties to attend the APC to deliberate over the law and order situation following the Mastung massacre on May 30.
Earlier, Balochistan Chief Secretary Danyal Gilani briefed the premier on the law and order situation in the province and in particular about the specifics of the Mastung incident.
Read: Militants kill 19 passengers in Mastung after forcing them off bus
Further, he was briefed on the essentials of the National Action Plan and its implementation, as well as its progress in the province.
The premier is being accompanied by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Malik Baloch.
Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif is also in attendance at today’s conference.
Governor Balochistan Muhammad Khan Achakzai, Minister of State for Petroleum, Jam Kamal, Balochistan Minister for Mines, Sanaullah Zehri are among other senior officials attending the meeting today.
Read: Mastung massacre: Shutter-down strike in Quetta
At least 25 passengers were kidnapped from two Quetta-Karachi bound passenger coaches near Kadocha area on May 30.
The bodies of 19 passengers were recovered from a site while three other injured passengers died of their wounds later.
