PM Shehbaz pledges safe, business-friendly environment for Chinese in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that the government is fostering a secure and business-friendly atmosphere for the Chinese community in Pakistan.

“The trust of Chinese firms in the Pakistani economy is vital for our economic prospects,” the prime minister said while presiding over a meeting on security measures for Chinese citizens in Pakistan.

PM Shehbaz said that various steps are being implemented to bolster the safety of Chinese nationals across the country, including in Islamabad.

The prime minister said that the Safe City projects serve as a prime example of this growing capability. “Safe City projects were being built across the country as per the international standards,” he added.

“China is our friendly country,” PM Shehbaz said while stressing that the protection of Chinese brothers was the top priority of the government.

He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was a highly important joint project between the two countries which had now entered its second phase, where business-to-business cooperation will be prioritized between the two countries.

In light of the development of CPEC, the protection of Chinese nationals in Pakistan had gained even greater importance, the prime minister stressed.

He directed that measures be taken on a priority basis at all airports across the country to facilitate the arrival and departure of Chinese nationals. During the meeting, PM Shehbaz was briefed on the progress of special security arrangements for Chinese nationals throughout the country.

The interior minister informed the prime minister about the security arrangements being implemented nationwide. In the briefing, it was stated that in light of potential terrorist threats, special security arrangements for Chinese nationals had been enforced.

The federal government and all provinces are working in full cooperation on this matter, the briefing highlighted adding that safe city projects were under construction across the country.

Chinese nationals are being provided with security escort facilities for travel, the prime minister was told.

The meeting was also informed that all new housing projects will be equipped with cameras that meet Safe City standards.

The meeting was attended by Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister of State Talal Chaudhry, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, and other senior officials.