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Pakistan PM Sharif states militants want to stop co-operation with China

Attacks by separatist militants in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan targeted at stopping development tasks that form part of the ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated on Tuesday.

The attacks begun on Sunday, eliminating more than 70, were the most extensive in years by ethnic militants seeking to win secession of the resource-rich province, home to major China-led projects such as a tactical port and a gold and copper mine.

The terrorists wish to stop CPEC and advancement tasks, Sharif stated in a telecasted address to cabinet, including that the purpose was likewise to drive a wedge in between Islamabad and Beijing.

CPEC, stated to have development commitments worth $65. billion, belongs to Chinese President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road. initiative.

Pakistan has not been able to totally build the facilities. needed to tap mineral resources in poverty-stricken Balochistan,. and has sought China's assistance in developing the province.

In Beijing, China condemned the attacks and pledged to maintain. firm assistance for Pakistan in counter-terrorism efforts.

China is prepared to even more strengthen counter-terrorism. security co-operation with the Pakistani side in order to. collectively maintain regional peace and security, Lin Jian, a. foreign ministry spokesperson, told a routine news rundown.

Beijing has actually previously flagged issues about the security. of its citizens working on tasks in Pakistan, particularly in. Balochistan. Six Chinese engineers working on a dam task were. killed in March in the northwest.

Separatist militants have actually regularly targeted. Balochistan's deepwater port of Gwadar, run by China.

A militant group, the Balochistan Freedom Army

(source: Reuters)