Punjab to charge security costs from Chinese companies

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif held a high level meeting on the security of Chinese nationals working in different projects in the province.

It was decided in the meeting that the government would receive one percent project cost earmarked for the security arrangements of projects where Chinese are working. To recover the amount from Chinese companies where the government has already spent on security, a committee was constituted, comprising of DIG SPU, concerned DCO, Additional secretaries of energy, finance, home departments and representatives of the executing agency and the concerned project.

The provincial government had earlier decided to allow the Chinese companies to have private security guards with the NOC from the home department. The home department was also directed by the chief minister to provide the list of the security companies to the Chinese to negotiate with them for the security arrangements.

The Chinese, however, did not agree with the proposal of private security guards and urged the government to provide them official security.

There are various Chinese companies working on different mining and energy projects across Punjab.