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To protect the Chinese, Pakistan plans to train its police with 'military standards'
Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif react after unveiling a plaque to mark the completion of the New Gwadar International Airport, during a ceremony at the Prime Minister's House in Islamabad, Pakistan October 14, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)/Representational image.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the police force will be given military-level training in order to protect Chinese nationals residing in the country for business purposes.
Sharif announced a slew of new security measures that his government will take to make Pakistan a business-friendly nation for Chinese nationals. 'The confidence of Chinese companies in the Pakistani economy is extremely important for our economic future.'
The prime minister's comments came as both countries expand the scope of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In recent days, several Chinese citizens living in various parts of the country have come under attack.
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What other measures will be taken?
Sharif said that since 'China is our friendly country', it is a priority of the government to take care of any Chinese national residing in Pakistan.
He emphasised that with the progress of CPEC, ensuring the safety of Chinese nationals in Pakistan had become even more critical. He directed that priority measures be implemented at all airports to ease their arrival and departure.
Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi said that the entire country is working towards providing safety to Chinese nationals, as different states are constructing, what the government has called, a 'safe city'.
Chinese nationals are also being provided with security escort facilities for travel, according to a report by Dawn.
Chinese nationals attacked in Pak
Thousands of Chinese nationals are employed at China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) sites and major infrastructure projects across regions including Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where they have frequently been targeted in attacks reportedly carried out by militants, including the BLA and the Pakistani Taliban.
According to official figures from Pakistan's National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), at least 20 Chinese citizens have been killed and 34 injured in 14 terrorist attacks across the country since 2021.
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