Crucial decisions, including the security of Chinese workers in Pakistan, are expected at the National Action Plan (NAP) Apex Committee meeting convened by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday.
The meeting, presided over by the Prime Minister, will be attended by several high-ranking officials, including Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, federal ministers, the chief ministers of the four provinces, and all inspector generals of police.
Scheduled to be held at 1 pm at the PM House in Islamabad, the forum will provide a detailed briefing on the measures taken to secure Chinese workers in the country. Additionally, the committee is expected to make significant decisions regarding national security.
Sources informed Geo News that the committee would also be briefed on recent meetings with investors from Saudi Arabia and China.
Pakistan Assures Security of Chinese Citizens
On June 16, Islamabad assured Beijing of providing foolproof security for Chinese citizens working on various projects in Pakistan, reiterating that no one can create rifts between the two countries. This assurance came during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zedong at the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad.
Both sides discussed the security measures for Chinese citizens in Pakistan. The interior minister informed the Chinese envoy about the steps taken to protect Chinese citizens nationwide, including in Islamabad. He also detailed the security plan for Chinese engineers and staff working on CPEC and other projects.
Naqvi stated that comprehensive and effective SOPs have been established for the security of Chinese citizens, and a separate force, “SPU,” is being created in Islamabad specifically for foreign nationals.
The two sides also reiterated their commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and agreed to further strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism and security through a comprehensive approach.
National Security Challenges
The NAP Apex Committee meeting comes as the country grapples with the challenge of extremism. According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) Q1 2024 Security Report, 92% of all fatalities and 86% of attacks, including those related to terrorism and security forces operations, were recorded in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces in the first quarter of 2024.
The report detailed that the country witnessed at least 432 violence-linked fatalities and 370 injuries among civilians, security personnel, and outlaws from 245 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations. Among the 432 fatalities, 281 were civilians and security forces personnel.
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