Beijing, January 27, 2022 (PPI-OT):National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf has said the safety of foreigners in the country is Pakistan’s responsibility, and concerns of Chinese workers and engineers working on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are taken seriously.

The NSA said this in an interview with the Beijing Review. He maintained that some countries and their proxy actors do not want the CPEC to succeed as they see the Pakistan-China partnership as a “threat”.

Moeed Yusuf acknowledged that there have been a number of attacks on the CPEC projects, highlighting that India supported and funded them through anti-Pakistan militant organisations operating from third countries. “Unfortunately, our enemies will continue to seek ways to target us,” he added.

However, the NSA stated that regardless of these attacks, there is clear evidence that the Pakistan-China relationship is still going strong as the two countries came out “stronger and further strengthened security protocols”.

Moeed Yusuf said, all inimical forces working at the behest of external powers to undermine the CPEC will be defeated. He added that Pakistan now has a mechanism to ensure the security of every Chinese citizen in the country. He emphasised that the full potential of the CPEC will only be realised when there is peace in the region.

Moeed said that the CPEC is beneficial for both China and Pakistan as well as everyone who participates in it. He said since the start of the project in 2014, significant progress has been made on the ground. “We are entering the second phase, which is critical for industrialisation in the country and connectivity between China, Pakistan and the rest of the world,” he said, adding that this phase will involve investment in a range of sectors, including agriculture and science and technology.

The NSA further emphasised that the projects will contribute to internal physical connectivity, job creation, agricultural modernisation and industrial expansion in Pakistan. “We envisage CPEC to be a springboard for transforming Pakistan into a regional connectivity and trade hub,” he said. Moeed Yusuf said that Pakistan’s good relations with China were based on shared interests and mutual respect, and do not target any other country.

For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: info@kmsnews.org
Website: www.kmsnews.org