Govt revises SOPs for security of Chinese citizens
NDRC spokesperson says the CPEC has made significant progress, as expressways, vocational schools and power plants funded by China have been put into operation in Pakistan. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
The interior ministry has revised the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the security of the Chinese experts, working on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects besides the Chinese investors and other citizens in the country. According to the revised and updated SOPs, all Chinese experts and investors will keep the relevant authorities and the police stations concerned informed about their visit, and they must use bullet-proof vehicles for their movement.
In this regard, a meeting was held on Thursday with Additional Interior Secretary Khushal Khan in the chair. The meeting was attended by the chief commissioner of Islamabad, chief secretaries of all the four provinces, and Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) regions. The Chinese ambassador to Pakistan as well as major Chinese investors and the officials from the CPEC security division, which aimed at providing security to the Chinese nationals in the country, were especially invited to the meeting.
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According to sources, the interior ministry directed the chief secretaries to strengthen the security of the Chinese residents, especially in Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Punjab. The Chinese was requested to ensure the implementation of the SOPs by the Chinese citizens.
According to the SOPs, the sources said, Chinese residents will necessarily keep the administration and police officers and the police station informed about their presence and the movements and will used the use a bulletproof vehicle for their travel.
The sources added that those Chinese investors, who are staying at rental places or in hotels etc, will register themselves at the police station concerned and submit their rental agreement for further enhancing their security arrangements. The additional interior secretary asked the chief secretaries to consider and suggest any improvement in the revised SOPs. They were also directed to hold urgent meetings at the provincial levels and communicate these instructions to the relevant officials at the district level.