Islamabad: Pakistan and China have agreed to use bullet-proof vehicles for all outdoor movements of the Chinese nationals working on the CPEC projects in Pakistan to protect them from terrorist attacks after Beijing expressed concern over their security, according to a media report. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) links Pakistan’s Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea with Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region.
The $60 billion CPEC is part of China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, a pet project of President Xi Jinping. The security of Chinese workers has been a hurdle in the implementation of its projects. According to the draft minutes of the 11th Joint Cooperation Committee of the CPEC, both sides have also agreed to strengthen the capabilities of the law-enforcement agencies and investigators, Express Tribune newspaper reported.
“It has been decided that bullet-proof vehicles shall be used for all outdoor movement of the Chinese employed on projects,” said the minutes. Xi had expressed last week “deep concern” over the security of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan on CPEC projects and sought “reliable and safe environment” for them in his meeting with PM Shehbaz Sharif.
The minutes also showed that the Chinese side committed to providing security-related equipment to Pakistani law-enforcement agencies. To speed up the investigations into the crimes involving Chinese nationals, it had been decided a national forensic investigative agency would be built.
The Chinese side has also vowed to establish a training centre for the private security guards and law enforcement personnel to equip them with modern techniques. It was also decided that a Joint Technical Expert Working Group would be established for the security of non-CPEC projects.
