Growing insecurity: China demands solid steps for workers safety

Nisar promises a special task force to ensure security of Chinese staff.


Our Correspondent September 19, 2013
Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD:


The Chinese ambassador in Islamabad has expressed concern over the lack of safety for its workers in Pakistan and conveyed the Chinese government’s request for solid steps to be taken to ensure proper safety of Chinese workers here.


Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong conveyed his government’s concerns to Pakistan during his meeting with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar.

“China needs more security for its engineers, workers—they are not too much satisfied with the current available security in Gwadar etc” Weidong was quoted as saying by a senior official of Interior Ministry on Wednesday.

The official, who was familiar with the meeting between the two told The Express Tribune that the Chinese ambassador was expressing his concern over the poor security of its engineers working in Sui, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and the Karakoram Highway.



Weidong also hoped that the success of these projects will give a new dimension to the already strong relationship between China and Pakistan and will serve as a milestone to further cooperation, an official statement said.

He also appreciated the efforts of Pakistani law enforcement agencies for apprehending the culprits involved in the attack on tourists at Nanga Parbat Base Camp. “No effort will succeed to sabotage the relations between the two countries,” it added. In response to his concerns, the interior minister said the government is taking serious steps following security threats to the Chinese working in Pakistan. A special committee will work in the ministry whose task is to constantly look after the security of Chinese citizens, added the statement.



“We assure the people and the government of China that Pakistan would leave no stone unturned to look after the security and well being of our Chinese friends working in Pakistan,” Nisar said.

Both countries will have to remain vigilant of the elements who don’t appreciate this surge in relations between China and Pakistan, Nisar added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th, 2013. 

COMMENTS (1)

Arindom | 10 years ago | Reply

Why foreign manpower for low-end jobs like road-building in a country that has huge youth unemployment?

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