ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif made it clear on Friday that any attempt to obstruct or impede the progress of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be thwarted at all costs.

“CPEC would benefit the entire region and we hope that rest of the world views it through the same lens,” said General Sharif.

General Raheel Sharif was speaking at the 88th anniversary of Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) held in Islamabad.

Read: Nawaz wants CPEC work finished by end-2017

He congratulated the PLA on the occasion and termed relations between Pakistan and China as an all weather friendship which would grow further in the times ahead.

“I reiterate our firm resolve that your enemy is our enemy and we will together to overcome the challenges presented,” remarked General Sharif.

He also termed the PLA as one of the most professional armies in the world and paid tribute to PLA’s sacrifices while pursuing the dreams of the Chinese nation.

Earlier last week, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif said that the army was ready to pay any cost for making CPEC a reality.

Read more: Raheel vows to complete CPEC at all costs

Unrest has been a major source of concern for the project. The military soon after the inauguration of the project during President Xi’s visit had announced setting up a 10,000-strong special force for protecting the projects to be carried out under the CPEC and the Chinese workers associated with them.

The Chinese have been seriously following the security situation in the province. Chinese Vice-Minister for Security Dong Haizhou visited Pakistan in June for security-related briefings.

During his visit to Balochistan, Gen Sharif said the overall security situation in the province had noticeably improved.