Behave or face consequences: Amarinder warns Pakistan

Warning Pakistan against fomenting any trouble in Punjab, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday said his government busted 28 terror modules and arrested over 100 ISI-backed terrorists in the last two years.

“Twenty-eight terror modules were busted and more than 100 ISI-backed terrorists arrested by the Punjab police in the last two years,” the chief minister said during an interactive session on the first day of the Progressive Punjab Investors Summit 2019 here.

Warned Pakistan against any attempt to destabilise Punjab, Singh said, “Behave, or else be prepared for the consequences.”

“Pakistan has its own problems, but I won't let them make their problems my problem,” he said.

“We will not let them mess around with us,” he said, adding he has issued clear orders to the police to handle any internal or external threat with an iron hand.

Amarinder said he believed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted peace but the Pakistan Army, in its desperation to remain relevant, calls the shots and obstructs efforts for peace.

“But they have to understand that they and their country are doomed if they do not change their ways. The Pak army will have to 'play ball' if they have to feed their people and save their country,” said Singh.

The chief minister also asserted that his government was committed to providing a safe and stable environment to the industry for its growth.

Later in the evening, the chief minister honoured 14 entrepreneurs with a cash award of Rs one lakh each and an appreciation certificate.

He gave away the awards in various sectors on the first day of the Progressive Punjab Investor Summit-2019. Seven entrepreneurs were awarded under the Micro and Small category.

The awards have been conferred upon industrialists who have adopted innovative technologies for production of quality products, which, in turn, would help boost revenue and generate employment. The awards would also be instrumental in motivating other MSMEs to adopt such techniques and modern practices.

Invest Punjab CEO Rajat Agarwal earlier updated the chief minister that loans worth Rs 1,104 crore had been disbursed by the HDFC Bank to 701 MSMEs from November 1, 2019 till December 5, 2019 by HDFC Bank.  A two-day Progressive Punjab Investors Summit commenced on Thursday in which country's leading corporate honchos including Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Enterprise, Uday Kotak, Executive Vice Chairman & MD, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Sanjiv Puri, Chairman, ITC Group were present.

The event saw participation from the micro, small and medium enterprises Punjab, apart from leading industrialists, new-age entrepreneurs, foreign missions and other dignitaries.