Pakistan to set up special protection unit to protect Chinese working on CPEC project

Beijing/Islamabad, Jan 7 (PTI) Pakistan on Wednesday announced the establishment of a special protection unit to ensure the security of thousands of Chinese nationals working on the CPEC projects in the country.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who is currently visiting Beijing, made the announcement as he met China's Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong in Beijing, according to a press release issued by Pakistan's Interior Ministry.

The "Special Protection Unit (SPU) was being set up in Islamabad for the security of Chinese nationals," Naqvi said.

Wang told Naqvi that China stands ready to work with Pakistan to thoroughly implement the important consensus of the two countries' leaders, strengthen exchanges at all levels, and crack down on terrorism as well as on telecommunications and online fraud, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that China is willing to work with Pakistan to deepen cooperation in personnel, projects, institution security and law enforcement capacity building, so as to jointly tackle risks and challenges of all kinds, uphold the two countries' national security and social stability.

In its report on the Naqvi-Wang meeting, China’s official media did not refer to the formation of SPU.

It was not clear whether SPU means the deployment of Chinese security personnel, which would be a first by China on foreign soil.

Earlier reports said China was pressuring Pakistan to allow its security personnel to protect its nationals, but Islamabad was averse to Chinese boots on the ground, apprehending adverse political reaction back home.

Naqvi and Wang also discussed Pakistan's current security situation.

During the meeting, both ministers agreed to develop a joint and rapid response system against terrorism, including expanding training programs, aimed at enhancing police capacity, according to the press release.

The setting up of the SPU comes in the backdrop of China's longstanding demand to allow its security companies to protect the Chinese working on the USD 60 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects after several deadly attacks targeting Chinese workers.

According to data shared by the National Counter Terrorism Authority in December 2024, as many as 20 Chinese nationals died and 34 injured in terror attacks in the country from 2021 until then.

According to the data, 20,000 Chinese personnel worked in the CPEC projects. The Pakistan army has deployed two corps for the CPEC security.

Wang lauded Pakistan's efforts in countering terrorism and strengthening internal security, the Pakistani release said.

"We appreciate Pakistan's sacrifices in the fight against terrorism,” he was quoted as saying.

During the meeting, "both ministers agreed on a joint strategy for training and enhancing the professional skills of police and security personnel". They also vowed to maintain "an exchange of information between the police and other institutions of the two countries," it said.

Naqvi apprised the Chinese minister of the measures being taken to ensure the security of Chinese citizens in Pakistan, at which the latter expressed his satisfaction.

"The protection of Chinese citizens and projects of mutual interest remains our top priority," Naqvi was quoted as saying.

The setting up of SPU followed the immediate backdrop of the 7th Strategic Dialogue between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.

In a joint statement issued on Monday after the Dar-Wang talks, China backed Pakistan's demand that Afghanistan should eliminate terror outfits, which Kabul consistently denied.

Pakistan and China called for more visible and verifiable actions to dismantle and eliminate all terrorist organisations based in Afghanistan, which continue to pose serious threats to regional and global security.

The conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan intensified in recent months over Islamabad’s allegations of Kabul harbouring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militants.

The BLA, which is opposed to the CPEC being laid out from the Gwadar Port in Balochistan province, has carried out numerous attacks on Chinese personnel working on the projects.

Naqvi and Wang also discussed cooperation in the prevention of cybercrimes.

"Pakistan wants to benefit from the support of Chinese institutions to enhance the capacity of the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA)," the release quoted Naqvi as saying.

It said that Chinese-based AI technologies could be of "great help in countering terrorism and addressing security challenges".

Naqvi said that Pakistan and China shared a bond based on "sustainable cooperation" and expressed a desire to expand this cooperation further to tackle security challenges and protect mutual interests.

During the meeting, it was decided that the two sides will hold meetings of a joint working group every three months, while a meeting at a ministerial level will be held once a year.

Naqvi extended an invitation to the Chinese minister to visit Pakistan.

Wang also invited Naqvi to attend the Global Security Cooperation Forum, to be held in China in September.

The Chinese minister expressed willingness to cooperate with Pakistan at all levels, stressing that “Pakistan and China are strategic partners”, it said. PTI KJV/SH ZH ZH