China thinking upon Taking Over Security of her Citizens in Pakistan?

Tazeen Akhtar @ China Pakistan Monitoring Desk

A high-level Chinese delegation led by Minister for Political and Legal Affairs Chen Mingguo is in Pakistan having meetings with different officials. The delegations visits from China have increased since when Prime Minister Shehbaz visited various regions in China to enhance bilateral trade as well as mutual understanding between the business communities of both countries.

Other than trade and economic cooperation, CPEC Second Phase is the main point between China Pakistan these days and in this point the main topic is Security of Chinese personnel in Pakistan. For that , it seems that China is not satisfied on Pakistani measures taken after Dasu attack in which 5 Chinese workers were killed. The other chronology of attacks and abductions of Chinese is the part of history and record.

In this context, the engagements on fast track strengthen the notion that China is thinking upon taking over the security of her personnel and citizens from Pakistan. It is another thing that the take over is total , complete or shared. It is likely to be shared in the first phase.

General Li Qiaoming, Commander of the People’s Liberation Army Ground Forces visited Pakistan last month and  called on General Syed Asim Munir, COAS, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other officials. His visit is also seen in the same context , though other matters were also discussed.Minister Chen Minguo and his delegation visited the Interior Ministry of Pakistan on 21 Sep 2024 and shared views on bilateral interests. It was agreed to enhance cooperation in various fields, including counter-terrorism, cross-border cooperation, anti-smuggling, and anti-narcotics efforts. Both sides  agreed to conduct joint police and paramilitary forces exercises in Gilgit-Baltistan or Xinjiang and train Gilgit-Baltistan police officers at the Xinjiang Police Academy.

Comprehensive measures would be taken against terrorism. It was also decided that a Pakistani delegation, led by the Federal Secretary of Interior, would soon visit Xinjiang to enhance mutual cooperation.Chinese Minister Chen Mingguo also invited Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to visit Xinjiang.

Minister Chen Mingyuo expressed the desire to enhance relations with Pakistan in all fields. He said that terrorism is a common problem, adding that Xinjiang had suffered from it for many years. He highlighted that Pakistan can benefit from Xinjiang’s experience in counter-terrorism.

Security for Chinese in Pakistan – The Margins are Narrowing Down and Down- by Tazeen Akhtar

The Chinese delegation included Xinjiang’s Deputy Secretary of the Committee of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs, Executive Director General of Police, and Vice President of Xinjiang Police Academy. Secretary Interior Khurram Ali Agha, Special Secretary Interior Waqas Ali Mahmood, and Additional Secretary Interior Nazar Muhammad Buzdar were also present on the occasion.

In late June 2024, Chinese Interior Minister Qi Yanjun  met Pakistani counterpart at the sidelines of UN in New York. He assured “full cooperation” to Pakistan for the training of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) and other security related matters.The meeting was held at the office of China’s mission to the United Nations in New York.

Now it is commonly known matter of fact that China is working on the training of Pakistani security apparatus. That speaks simply both countries are now sharing the responsibility of the security of Chinese citizens in Pakistan. A mutual understanding has already been developed on  training and capacity building of Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies through the use of modern equipment and technology.

Pakistan has no other option than to accept the offers because of the deteriorating situation of security , especially along the main CPEC route in KP and Balochistan. 26 Aug was the latest in series of terror attacks on Pakistani security forces, citizens. And Chinese are no exception here but they are the main targets for their sensitive position for Pakistan. Terrorists have no direct enmity with Chinese but hitting them raise big questions on Pakistan’s ability to give security to foreign friends on her land.

Pakistan in the World – Aug / Sep 2024