CM Murad directs to provide adequate security to Chinese in Sindh

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday directed police to provide adequate security to Chinese working on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) related projects in the province.

CM Sindh presided over a meeting on security of Chinese working in the province which was also attended by Consul General of China in Karachi.

The chief minister said that there are nine CPEC projects in Sindh, while work on seven projects is in progress where 3044 Chinese are presently working. He said these projects and their workforce, particularly Chinese, are very important for the development of the country and Sindh.

He directed that they should have foolproof security as was decided at the start of the CPEC projects, and directed to install jammers in their vehicles when they travel from one are to another.

Home Secretary Qazi Shahid Parvez briefed the chief minister that seven security headquarters of each project with 3044 well trained police force have been deployed  for the security of the Chinese. He added that Pakistan Army is leading the security apparatus.

He added that the eighth project of NTDC Transmission line from Matiari to Lahore has been launched where 15 Chinese are engaged and have been provided a security force of 65 personnel.

CM Sindh said there are around 137 non-CPEC projects ongoing in the province where 1971 Chinese are working. He questioned the Home Secretary over the security arrangements who replied that 1373 personnel have been deployed.

Additional Inspector General Karachi Mushtaq Maher said that with Sindh Police has raised a Special Protection Unit (SPU) to maintain an effective security response and avert any threat to Chinese nationals working on CPEC projects.

He added that the total sanctioned strength of SPU is 2662 against which 1349 are working while 1313 posts are vacant for which recruitment process was in progress.

Security personnel deployed at CPEC projects

DIG Rapid Response Force (RRF) and SPU Amin Yousifzai said that nine projects have been expanded to eleven which includes a coal-based power plant at Karachi, open pit mining power plant at Thar Block-II, and coal-based power plant Block-I, wind power projects at Thatta District, Motorway from Ghotki to Sukkur, NTDC Transmission Lines from Matiari to Faisalabad and Lahore, and railway line from Karachi to Peshawar.

He said the coal-based power plant at Port Qasim have been provided a force of 563 personnel which include 30 army men, 193 SPU, 149 Rangers, 17 Frontier Constabulary, 17 policemen and 157 private guards.

The Thar project of Block-II has been given security 413 personnel while 46 personnel have been deployed on Thar power project Block-I. He added a force of 555 personnel have been deployed for the security of four wind power projects in Thatta district.

The DIG said a force 1197 personnel have been deployed for the 126 km long NDTC transmission line from Sukkur to Ghotki. For the transmission line from Matirai to Lahore/Faisalabad, a force of 76 personnel have been deployed, while 75 personnel have been deployed for the Sindh section of the 548 km railway line being laid from Karachi to Peshawar.

Completion of Islamkot airport

CM Sindh on the recommendation of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) directed principal secretary Sohail Rajput to coordinate with Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to complete Islamkot airport.

“I want the Chinese should travel by air,” he said recalling he landed at Islamkot runway during the recent visit to Thar. He said other facilities like installation of light along the runway, installation of traffic control tower, completion of the building and developing communication system are yet to be completed.

CM Sindh said that CPEC is the lifeline of national economy, and each and every individual living in the province must be given ownership of the projects launched under it, but warned that some unscrupulous elements who are against development are creating problems but they would never succeed.