Comprehensive security arrangements have been implemented for Chinese residents and other foreign tourists residing in the Rawalpindi region. The action was taken in response to directives from the Ministry of Interior.
Chinese nationals, particularly those engaged in projects such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), will receive robust security protocols to ensure their safety while moving within the area.
Before the deployment of security personnel and private guards for Chinese citizens, biometric verification has been made mandatory. According to police sources, the number of foreign tourists, including Chinese residents, has surpassed 1,000 in the Rawalpindi region.
Upon the arrival of foreign tourists and delegations, a centralised database of all foreigners will be established at the Islamabad International Airport. Special Branch Rawalpindi has been assigned significant responsibilities in this regard, with support from other law enforcement agencies, including NADRA, for the registration of foreigners.
Chinese residents will receive comprehensive information regarding security arrangements at Islamabad Airport. Furthermore, individualised security arrangements will be made based on the stay and travel information of foreign residents in Rawalpindi.
Significant numbers of foreign residents, particularly Chinese nationals, are involved in various projects across Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, and Chakwal, with security entrusted to the Special Protection Unit. This unit comprises officers from multiple law enforcement agencies, including the police and elite commandos.
Under the new directives from the federal government, mandatory biometric verification for police or private security guards deployed to protect foreign residents has been enforced.
Additionally, registration of all foreign residents in respective police stations is now compulsory, with measures in place to safeguard the confidentiality of their residential addresses.
Stringent security checks will be conducted for foreign tourists travelling within the region from local hotels, bus stations, and railway stations to ensure the safety of residents.
A comprehensive list of all foreigners, detailing their arrival and departure schedules, will be compiled for repatriation purposes, to be shared with the embassies concerned and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Confidentiality regarding the schedules of foreigners entering and leaving Pakistan will be maintained.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2024.
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