RAWALPINDI: A formation commanders’ conference chaired by Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif at the General Headquarters on Wednesday took serious notice of the recent hostile Indian rhetoric coupled with covert and overt actions to destabilise Pakistan.

The forum said it was highly regrettable that Indian politicians not only indulged in actions that were a violation of the United Nations charter but also took pride in claiming interference in the internal affairs of other states.

A resolve to defeat Indian designs and defend Pakistan’s territorial integrity at any cost, with a befitting response to any misadventure against Pakistan, was also echoed during the meeting.

Reviewing the army’s operations in the country’s tribal areas, General Sharif said terrorists had been cleared and dislodged from their strongholds in North Waziristan and Khyber Agency, adding that the offensive had now moved into the last few pockets close to the Afghan border.

The army chief said military operations will continue till elimination of the last terrorists group and sanctuary, and ordered commanders to take all measures to prevent escape of trapped terrorists.

“With the entire nation standing behind us, we will remain focused on achieving the objective of a terror free and peaceful Pakistan.”

The forum was given comprehensive briefings on the security environment in the country. General Sharif, while recounting the successes of security forces in operation Zarb-i-Azb, paid rich tributes to officers and men for the sacrifices they had rendered for the defence of the country.

General Sharif said Pakistan was the most resilient nation in the world and was already on its way to emerge victorious from these testing times. “Our main collective aim is to make Pakistan a secure, strong and prosperous country.”

The conference was attended by Corps Commanders, Principal Staff Officers and all Formation Commanders of the Pakistan Army.

No hurdles in completion of CPEC, Gen Raheel assures China

General Raheel Sharif assured Chinese authorities Wednesday that there would be no hurdles in the completion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), adding that maximum security was put in place for completion of the project.

He was talking to the Chinese Vice Minister of Ministry of State Security Mr Dong Haizhou who called on him at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi today.

"Matters relating to bilateral interest, regional security and security of CPEC came under discussion during the meeting," according to a short statement by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

During the meeting, all security related matters of the project came under discussion.

Haizhou said 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.

The 3,000-km corridor running from the southern Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea to China's western Xinjiang region, was launched in April during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Islamabad. India had strongly objected to the CPEC, saying that the route of corridor was controversial.

Zee News had quoted Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj as saying, “Prime Minster Modi during his recent visit to Beijing took up the issue very firmly and spoke very strongly that the CPEC going through PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) is unacceptable.”