KARACHI: China would deploy its naval ships along with Pakistan navy to safeguard the strategic Gwadar port and trade routes under the $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a Pakistani official in Karachi has said. China and Pakistan are currently building the nearly 3,000-km-long economic corridor linking Pakistan's Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea with Xinjiang to improve connectivity between the two countries. The move would open up a new and cheaper cargo route for transporting oil to China as well as export of Chinese goods to the Middle East and Africa. A Pakistan navy official said the role of maritime forces has increased since the country has made the Gwadar port operational and speeded up economic activities under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). "China would also deploy its naval ships in coordination with Pakistan navy to safeguard the port and trade under the CPEC," the unnamed official was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune. In the past, China has shied away from saying that it plans to deploy its naval ships in Gwadar, a move which could raise alarm in the US and India. Experts feel that CPEC and the Gwadar port would enhance the military capabilities of both China and Pakistan, and make it possible for the Chinese navy to easily access the Arabian Sea. Having a naval base in Gwadar could allow Chinese vessels to use the port for repair and maintenance of their fleet in the Indian Ocean region. Such a foothold would be the first overseas location offering support to the Chinese navy for future missions. Pakistani defence officials are keen for the Chinese navy to build up its presence in the Indian Ocean and the Arabia Sea, mainly to counterbalance India's formidable naval force. The Pakistani official also said that the Navy is considering buying super-fast ships from China and Turkey for its special squadron to be deployed at the Gwadar port for the security purpose. "A squadron may have four to six warships," he said on the sidelines of the on-going defence exhibition, IDEAS 2016, at the Karachi Expo Centre. The ships would be bought soon keeping in view their immediate need in the fleet, he said, adding that two defence ships have already been deployed at Gwadar. Another official of the naval force added that Pakistan has kicked off the process of establishing the largest shipyard of the region in Gwadar. A similar ship-building project is being deliberated at Port Qasim in Karachi. The two advanced shipyards would design and develop ships and other security equipment for Pakistan navy. "The existing shipyard, the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, lacks capacity to meet new requirements of the force. Its (PNSC) performance, however, would improve in competition with the two under consideration," he said.

BHATINDA: In election-bound Punjab, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that Indus river waters "belong to our farmers" and India has the right to the waters flowing into Pakistan. "The Indus waters, India has the right to those waters...it flows into Pakistan. Flowing through Pakistan, the water goes into the sea. That water belongs to the Indian farmers. We will do whatever we can to give enough water to our farmers," PM Modi said at a rally in Bathinda. Taking a swipe at the Congress, he said: "Governments came and went in Delhi... no one paid attention to the problems of the farmer. Pakistan took full advantage of this, but not anymore. I will ensure that my farmers get what is rightfully theirs." He also commented that after India's surgical strikes, "Pakistan didn't know what hit it'. The country is yet to recover from the strike, he said of the operation carried out by the army in September targeting terrorist staging areas in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The 1960 Indus Waters treaty brokered by the World Bank, on the sharing of the waters of six rivers between the two countries, became a flashpoint after the Uri attack in which 19 Indian soldiers were killed by terrorists from Pakistan. PM Modi then signaled a review of the pact, saying "blood and water cannot flow together." The Indus Waters Treaty gives India rights to use the eastern rivers - Ravi, Sutlej and Beas - and Pakistan has control over the three western rivers, Chenab, Jhelum and Indus. India has asked for a neutral expert to examine Islamabad's complaint against hydroelectric power projects on the rivers that flow into Pakistan. Pakistan has, at the same time, asked for an international court of arbitration. Pakistan warned India at the UN Security Council against using water as 'an instrument of coercion or war".