Asad Umar stresses need to ramp up security as Chinese investment in Pakistan rises

Asad Umar
Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar stressed on Thursday the need to increase security for projects backed by the Chinese, as the country's investment in Pakistan rises.

"The investment through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is increasing. Chinese investors are investing in [projects] besides special economic zones," the federal minister said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad after a meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) on the CPEC.

The federal minister noted that the need for ramping up security had increased after the Dasu incident, where at least 12 people, including nine Chinese nationals working on the hydel project, were killed when a bus carrying them fell into a ravine following an explosion.

In a press conference in August, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) were involved in the Dasu incident.

Umar, shedding light on the government's steps taken in this regard, said that the Centre has devised a strategy to ramp up security for China-backed projects.

The federal minister said China had also stressed on ramping up security on projects backed by investors from their country.

Umair noted that neighbouring countries were envious of the CPEC.

"Pakistan and China remain committed to the CPEC," he said, adding that the Ministry of Interior had set up a special cell for monitoring the security situation in the country.



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