CPEC to be functional by 2030: FO

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesperson, Dr Muhammad Faisal said Thursday that the first phase of CPEC would be completed by 2020 while the entire project would be functional by 2030.

During his weekly press briefing in Foreign Office, Dr Faisal said that Pakistan and China regularly monitor the progress of these projects, adding that the decision to bring more projects and highways under CPEC would be taken by the two countries with consensus.

He informed that visas have been issued to the wife and mother of the convicted RAW agent Kulbhushan Jadhav and their meeting would take place in Islamabad on December 25.

Replying to a question, he said the meeting between Kalbhushan and his family will be held in the Ministry of Foreign affairs. “There has so far been no decision on the implementation of the spy’s death sentence”, he informed.

Dr Faisal said that Pakistan views the issues of Jerusalem as the violation of relevant resolution of the United Nation Security Council (UNSC). “The only lasting solution for peace in the region lies in Al-Qudus being the capital of a free Palestine state”, he added.

Spokesperson said that Pakistan has repeatedly raised its serious concerns about the escalating presence of DEASH in Afghanistan to the Afghan government and to USA as well.

He said big drape of territories not under control of the Afghan Government and are being used for terrorism in Pakistan. “We have conveyed our reservations to Afghanistan in this regard and expect that it will take some concert steps regarding the matter”, he added.

Replying to another question, he said that that Indian malicious design has caused the dysfunctionality of the Indus water Treaty.

He said that the exclusion the list of terrorists from recently-held Heart of Asia (HoA) conference statement has given Pakistan a major win at the diplomatic front. “The list was used by India for propaganda purposes against Pakistan", he added.

Dr Faisal emphasized that the fate of Indian occupied Kashmir is not subservient to the orders of Indian courts but to the UN resolution in the matter.

He said that Indian atrocities on innocent and defenseless Kashmiris continued unabated this week as well resulting in Shahadat of four people along with continued house arrest and illegal detention of Hurriyat leadership which is highly condemnable and against basic human rights and international law.

He said Pakistan has decided to release and repatriate 291 Indian fishermen in two phases as a goodwill gesture on humanitarian grounds.

He said that Pakistan strongly believes that a political solution to the ongoing Yemen crisis is the only way to ensure regional peace and stability. The spokesperson also condemned the recent missile attack on Saudi Arabia.