CM directs police dept to provide security to Chinese workers

CPEC projects, workforce is important for development, says Shah

KARACHI: The Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah has directed the police department to provide adequate security to the Chinese workers of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.

Shah gave this direction on Tuesday while presiding over a meeting in Karachi on the security of the Chinese working on CPEC and non-CPEC projects in Sindh. The meeting was attended by Chinese consul-general, Home Secretary Qazi Shahid Parvez, and Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput. Karachi Additional IG Mushtaq Maher, DIGs of Sukkur, representatives of Rapid Response Force (RRF) and Special Protection Unit (SPU), Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) Chief Executive Officer Shamsuddin A Shaikh and others were also present at the meeting.

Shah said that seven out of the nine CPEC projects in Sindh are in progress where 3,044 Chinese are working. These projects and their workforce, particularly the Chinese, are important for the development of the country and Sindh in particular. They should have foolproof security as was decided at the start of the CPEC projects, he said.



Parvez briefed the CM and said that 3,044 well-trained police personnel have been deployed for the security of the Chinese workers. He added that the Pakistan Army leads the security apparatus.

The project of National Transmission and Dispatch Company Ltd (NTDC) transmission line from Matiari to Lahore has been launched where 15 Chinese workers are engaged, he said.

"We have provided them a security force of 65 personnel," Parvez said.

The home secretary said that 1,373 personnel have been deployed for the security of 137 non-CPEC projects where 1,971 Chinese workers are employed.



Maher said that the police have raised SPU to maintain an effective security response and to avert any threat to Chinese nationals working for CPEC. He added that the total sanctioned strength of SPU is 2,662 against which 1,349 are working while 1,313 posts are lying vacant, for which recruitment is in progress.

DIG RRF and SPU Amin Yousifzai said that nine projects have been expanded to 11 which include, a coal-based power plant in Karachi, open-pit mining power plant in Thar Block-II and coal-based power plant Thar Block-I, wind power projects in Thatta district, Motorway from Ghotki to Sukkur, NTDC Transmission Lines from Matiari to Faisalabad and Matirai to Lahore and railway line from Karachi to Peshawar.

Yousifzai said that a force of 563 personnel which include 30 army men, 193 SPU, 149 Rangers, 17 Frontier Constabulary, 17 policemen and 157 private guards security have been provided to the coal-based power plant at Port Qasim. Similarly, Thar Block-II project has been given 413 personnel while 46 personnel have been deployed on Thar power project Block-I. He added that for the security of four wind-power projects in Thatta, a force of 555 personnel has been deployed.



Yousifzai said that for the NDTC transmission line from Sukkur to Ghotki, a force 1,197 personnel has been deployed. He added that 76 personnel have been deployed for the security of Chinese workers working on the transmission line from Matirai to Lahore or Faisalabad. The railway line being laid from Karachi to Peshawar has been given a force of 75 personnel.

Shah, on the recommendation of the SECMC, directed Rajput to coordinate with Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for completing the Islamkot airport.

"I want the Chinese to travel by air," he said and added that, during his recent visit to Thar, he had landed at Islamkot runway and found it suitable. He issued directives for the CAA to complete the installation of lights along the runway, installation of tower and completion of the building and developing communication shortly.



Shah said that CPEC is the life line of the national economy, therefore the projects launched under it must be given ownership by each and every individual living in Sindh. He said that there are some unscrupulous elements that are against the development and are creating problems but they will never succeed.