RAWALPINDI: Special Branch of the police will scrutinise all security guards deployed at China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Non-CPEC projects or working alongside Chinese nationals.

A directive in this regard was issued by the Regional Police Office (RPO) to the City Police Office (CPO) and the District Police Officers (DPOs) of the three districts of Rawalpindi division.

They have also been asked to ensure that they are equipped with the latest weapons.

Referring to the murder of a Chinese national in the federal capital territory in a house robbery early this month, the RPO Rawalpindi Syed Khurram Ali issued a guideline to the CPO Rawalpindi, DPOs of Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal to carry out a fresh security audit of CPEC and non-CPEC projects and rectify the loopholes identified by the law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

Under the guidelines, the RPO directed the law enforcement agencies to carry out search operations in all those areas where the Chinese nationals are working or residing and to scrutinise Afghan nationals residing close to these areas. Security deployment should be made according to Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) during the movement of Chinese nationals.

The RPO also directed to shift the Chinese nationals from populated areas to a better place so that they could be provided foolproof security.

The Chinese national should be bound to travel in special vehicles, instead of traveling in local rickshaws or cabs. All such projects where five or more Chinese have been working, they should be provided security by the Special Protection Unit (SPU).

The RPO also recommended bullet proof vehicles should for the movements of Chinese and other foreign nationals and special security arrangements should be made for their residential areas.

Permanent zig-zag police pickets should be established around CPEC and NON-CPEC projects and mobile police patrolling should be ensured hourly around projects where Chinese nationals have been working.

The RPO further directed that foolproof security should be made for Chinese who have been individually working in markets or other places and they should be informed not to move anywhere without security cover.

He also directed the police to repair out-of-order CCTV cameras and other security gadgets.

The security lapses needed to be rectified on top priority basis in line with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for security which had already been issued by the provincial authorities in order to ensure that the power project is adequately protected.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2024