ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Thursday observed thatthe goals envisaged under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) inevitably hinged upon the security of the mega project to boost the confidence of businesses and attract massive investments in Pakistan.

“Ensuring robust security of CPEC is of vital importance. All the quarters concerned need to eliminate bottlenecks pertaining to the project’s security and ensure that CPEC culminates in the attainment of the desired results,” said chairmanship of the committee MNA Sher Ali Arbab.

The in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was held with a single agenda. Members were to receive a briefing from military and civilian officials on security arrangements for CPEC projects.

The committee was briefed by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on CPEC Affairs Khalid Mansoor besides senior officials.

Parliamentary body briefed by military and civilian officials on security arrangements for projects

The chairman remarked that given the importance of economic stability, Pakistan had to pursue the policy of geo-economics from now onwards. “Pakistan, in this day and age, direly needs investments and businesses to flourish under CPEC,” he said.

The committee observed that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for security personnel at various checkposts, especially in Balochistan, could be re-evaluated. Members were of the views that confidence of locals over state institutions and their ownership for CPEC was mandatory to achieve the fruits of the flagship project.

They also stressed the need to build the trust of local people by protecting their honour and dignity, apprising them of the benefits of shared development resulting from CPEC, empowering them economically while ensuring security.

The members also decided that in continuation of this meeting, another gathering would also be convened next week on the single-point agenda regarding security of CPEC. They also hinted on visiting the new initiatives taken by the Ministry of Interior for the security of CPEC.

Officials from the Ministry of Interior informed the meeting that after the Dasu attack, the government had taken a comprehensive overview of security, filled the gaps by introducing new initiatives while taking concrete measures to ensure foolproof security of CPEC.

They said the authorities had taken enhanced security measures for CPEC projects after recent incidents of terrorism in which Chinese engineers and workers were targeted in KP, Balochistan and Sindh.

On July 14, 2021, nine Chinese nationals and four locals were killed and 28 others injured when a coach carrying them to an under-construction tunnel of the Dasu hydropower project fell into a ravine in the upper Kohistan area of KP after an explosion.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2022