Following Beijing’s worry about their security, Pakistan and China have agreed to employ bullet-proof trucks for all outdoor movements of Chinese nationals working on the CPEC projects in Pakistan in order to safeguard them from terrorist assaults, according to a media report on Sunday.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) connects Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of northwest China with Pakistan’s Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea.
The grandiose Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a favorite initiative of President Xi Jinping, includes the $60 billion CPEC. Implementing its different projects has been extremely difficult due to the security of Chinese workers.
The Express Tribune daily stated that both sides have also agreed to increase the capacity of the law-enforcement agencies and investigators, citing the draught minutes of the 11th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) of the CPEC.
The draught minutes of the 11th JCC, which Pakistan and China had traded, said that “it has been determined that all outside movements of the Chinese employees on projects must be made in bullet-proof cars.”
In order to strengthen the all-weather friendship, President Xi last week expressed “deep concern” over the security of Chinese nationals working in Pakistan on the CPEC projects and asked for a “reliable and safe environment” for them. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was making his first trip to Beijing at the time.
According to the report, the choices might aid in allaying Chinese official worries.
The draught minutes also revealed that the Chinese side agreed to donate security-related gear to help Pakistani law enforcement authorities develop their capacity.
It had been agreed that the National Forensic Science Agency (NFSA) would be constructed on contemporary lines in order to hasten the investigations into crimes involving Chinese people.
The Pakistani side asked China for assistance in modernizing the National Forensic Science Lab in Islamabad completely. According to the draught minutes, the Chinese side pledged their complete support for the initiative.
The Chinese side has also pledged to set up a training facility to provide private security guards and law enforcement agency staff with cutting-edge methods and curriculum.
According to insiders, China had even requested Pakistan to allow its security officers to safeguard Chinese nationals due to the frequent attacks on its employees.
Pakistan had suggested the creation of a unique joint working group for coordination on security operations in light of the rising incidences of terrorism involving non-corridor projects.
The establishment of a Joint Technical Expert Working Group (JTEWG) for the security of non-CPEC projects, however, was agreed upon by all parties. The JTEWG would assess the capabilities of private security firms.
Although Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment “to maintain the tax and tariff policies stable,” the draught minutes revealed that Pakistan had not been able to expedite work on some of the CPEC energy projects.
According to the draught deal, Pakistan’s failure to pay its energy debts meant that financial closure would still be subject to approval by a Chinese insurance company.
China hasn’t changed its stance on its demand that Pakistan timely pays its debts and open a revolving bank account.
In the draught minutes, it is stated that “the Chinese side appreciated the efforts made by the Pakistani side to fully pay the tariff of the CPEC energy projects in a timely manner and hoped for a further increase in the tariff settlement ratio to ensure repayment of the bank loan and normal operation of the CPEC energy projects.”
