Chinese nationals: Punjab police to thoroughly review security arrangements

LAHORE: The Punjab police have decided in principle to thoroughly review security arrangements taken for the Chinese experts working on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and Chinese investors/businessmen coming to Pakistan.

The decision came a few days after nine Chinese nationals and four locals were killed and 28 others sustained injuries when a coach carrying them to an under-construction tunnel site of the 4,300-megawatt Dasu hydropower project fell into a ravine in the Upper Kohistan area after an explosion.

Addressing a high-level security conference of regional and district police officers at the Central Police Office (CPO) on Monday, Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Inam Ghani directed the senior police command to ensure foolproof security for Chinese experts working on CPEC and non-CPEC projects besides (Chinese) investors/businessmen coming to Pakistan.

He said that a fresh security review of all CPEC and private projects of Chinese citizens across the province should be done while scrutiny of the private staff working as focal persons and drivers with the Chinese citizens should also be undertaken.

He said all the supervisory officers should review the security arrangements of CPEC projects or other installations in their districts and if there is a room for further improvement in the security arrangements, it should be ensured on priority basis.

The IG further said that all private security companies that provide security guards or other staff to the Chinese citizens should also be subjected to a fresh security audit. He added that the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Special Branch and local police should conduct search, sweep and combing operations in the vicinity of Chinese national's residences, offices, business centres and other projects and these operations must continue on regular basis.

According to Ghani, the district intelligence committees (DICs) should reconsider whether the Chinese nationals working privately in Pakistan needed security or security arrangements should be increased as per requirement after mutual consultation.

Meanwhile, the IGP while reviewing measures taken for the security of upcoming Eidul Azha and Muharram-ul-Haram directed the senior officers to utilize all available resources for the safety of citizens on Eid gatherings at mosques, Imambargahs and open spaces across the province while special attention should be given to the security of cattle markets and traffic management.

Punjab Additional IG Operations Sahibzada Shehzad Sultan told the conference that there will be Eid gatherings at 25,672 mosques, Imambargahs, minority worship and open spaces across the province and around 47,000 police officers and officials would perform security duties during this event. He added that around 242 walkthrough gates, 12,373 metal detectors and 10,640 CCTV cameras have been installed for security purposes.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021