ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has said the security forces are ready to pay any price to turn the long-cherished dream of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into reality, military’s media wing Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Friday. “We are totally aware of all campaigns against the corridor and I vow that the security forces are ready to pay any price to turn this long-cherished dream into reality,” the army chief said, according to a statement released by the ISPR. The army chief was visiting the headquarters of the newly raised Special Security Division (SSD) for the security of CPEC. General Raheel urged coordination of law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to ensure security for the project. The army chief also reiterated the commitment of Pakistan Army to provide security for the project and the workforce involved, terming it a game changer having the potential to transform lives of people of the country. He also emphasised the need to ensure peaceful environment to be able to push all planned development projects. Earlier, the army chief was given a detailed briefing on the progress of raising of the force and wide-ranging security aspects of the project. On arrival, General Raheel was received by Lieutenant General Malik Zafar Iqbal and Major General Abid Rafique, Commander SSD.
The Gilgit-Baltistan government announced on Wednesday to “allocate a substantial piece of land to Pakistan Army in Diamer District so it could set up headquarters and ensure security for CPEC.” According to the officials, the site is situated in Thak Das, a barren piece of land near Chilas, where a brigade will be stationed. Army has raised Special Security Division to provide security cover to CPEC and the workforce employed on the project. ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa said in a tweet that a Special Security Division had been raised for protecting the CPEC.
