RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has made security clearance mandatory for hiring labourers in two projects being executed by Chinese experts.

The government declared the two projects as most sensitive and unsafe and directed the local administration to enhance their security.

The administrations of the mining project in Choa Syedan Shah in Katas, Chakwal, and the Quaid-i-Azam solar park project in Bahawalpur were directed to get security clearance of Afghan labourers as well as those from the tribal areas through the Special Branch.

Personnel from the Specialised Protection Unit (SPU) of the Punjab police, which has been established for security of foreigners, have been deployed at the Quaid-i-Azam solar park project.

The Special Branch and Intelligence Bureau have been directed to monitor and send reports to the home department if any Afghan national or people from the tribal areas were working on foreign and mine department’s projects being run by the Chinese nationals.

The decision to get security clearance of labourers working with the foreign projects was taken at a meeting recently.

The meeting was chaired by Punjab home minister Shuja Khanzada and attended by Regional Police Officer (RPO) Rawalpindi Akhtar Omer Hayat Laleka, the additional inspector general of Special Branch and other security officials.

The meeting expressed dissatisfaction over the security measures at different projects being run by foreigners, especially the two newly-launched projects at Choa Syedan Shah and Bahawalpur.

“Afghans and some people from the tribal areas are working at Choa Syedan Shah/Katas without being cleared by the Special Branch. They are a security risk,” the participants of the meeting said.

They said the boundary walls around the project sites were either too low or did not exist at all.

“Security arrangements are absolutely unsatisfactory for the two projects where Chinese experts are working,” they added.

The project administrations were asked to ensure foolproof security for the Chinese workers, both at their workplaces and residences.

In addition, the administration was directed not to allow the Chinese nationals to work at the site. They should be asked to stay at the Punjab school of mines at Katas.

In line with the government’s directives, Commissioner Rawalpindi Zahid Saeed and RPO Laleka visited Choa Syedan Shah and held a meeting with the project administration to review the security arrangements for the Chinese nationals.

“Yes, we have asked the project administration to make foolproof security arrangements, especially for the Chinese working there,” the RPO told Dawn.

He said though the police would do whatever was possible for the security of the foreigners working on different projects, the project administration should get security clearance from the departments concerned before hiring any Afghan national and people from the tribal areas.

Published in Dawn January 31st, 2015

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