After attacks on Chinese, Pak to bear security costs of non-CPEC projects too: Report
The Pakistani government has decided to bear the security costs of Chinese nationals working on non-CPEC projects, media reports said citing sources.
Beijing [China], October 28 (ANI): With renewed attention after the horrific Karachi university incident which took the lives of several Chinese nationals, the Pakistani government has decided to bear the security costs of non-CPEC projects as well, media reports said citing sources.
This is a key development as the Pakistan government has already included the security cost of all CPEC projects in the total cost, sources revealed to media outlet Business Recorder. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting to seek updated progress on investigations into these incidents which killed many Chinese construction workers and common Chinese nationals.
With the increased attacks on Chinese nations involved in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and non-CPEC projects, Sharif has ratcheted up the security imperatives.
This decision was taken at a recent meeting presided over by Shehbaz Sharif to review the security of Chinese working on CPEC and non-CPEC projects and to seek updated progress on investigations/ criminal proceedings related to Dasu and Karachi University incidents.
Sources also revealed that Shehbaz Sharif has given a high alert for Chinese citizens’ security in view of the upcoming events in the context of China, well-informed sources told Business Recorder. Moreover, it was decided that a meeting will be held with the Chinese Ambassador to brief him on the updated progress on investigations/ criminal proceedings related to Dasu and Karachi incidents, reported Business Recorder.
The Chinese envoy will be urged to instruct the Chinese nationals to adhere to SOPs issued by the Pakistan Interior Ministry to ensure their security. The sources said Interior Ministry will be the only point of contact in the Pakistani Government for any law and order-related information to the Chinese embassy.
The meeting decided that the governments of Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir shall ensure the restructuring and strengthening of their Counter Terrorism Departments.
Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives shall ensure that the meeting of the Pakistan-Chinese Joint Working Group on the security of Chinese is held on a monthly basis. Provincial Governments shall review the security audit reports to take necessary measures to bridge the gaps.
In July, nine Chinese workers were killed when a vehicle laden with explosives and driven by a suicide attacker rammed the bus in which they were travelling towards the Dasu Hydropower project in the Upper Kohistan area of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Moreover, the recent suicide attack killed 3 Chinese teachers outside the University of Karachi’s (KU) Confucius Institute. (ANI)
