On Wednesday, Pakistan announced the creation of a 'Special Protection Unit' (SPU) dedicated to ensuring the safety of thousands of Chinese workers involved in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. This pivotal decision followed a significant meeting in Beijing between Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and China's Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong.
As per a statement from Pakistan's Ministry of Home Affairs, the SPU will be grounded in Islamabad and aims to strengthen security measures for Chinese citizens and projects operating within Pakistan. This initiative comes after several deadly terrorist attacks targeting Chinese workers involved in CPEC projects over recent years.
The specifics regarding whether Chinese security personnel will be part of this SPU remain unclear. For a long time, China has been urging Pakistan to allow its security firms to operate within the country; however, Islamabad hesitates fearing domestic political backlash against the deployment of Chinese soldiers or security personnel.
Why is There a Need for This Security Unit?
Over the past few years, Chinese workers engaged in the $60 billion CPEC project have faced multiple lethal attacks. According to statistics from the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), between 2021 and December 2024, 20 Chinese nationals perished, and 34 were injured in terrorist incidents. Groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) consistently target Chinese citizens. Presently, roughly 20,000 Chinese nationals work in Pakistan, whose protection is currently managed by two corps of the Pakistani military.
'Joint Response System' Against Terrorism
During the discussions, both countries' ministers agreed on developing a 'Joint and Rapid Response System' to counter terrorism. This system includes expanding training programs to enhance police capabilities and the exchange of intelligence information. Naqvi also mentioned Pakistan's intent to leverage Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity technologies to combat terrorism.
Stern Message Concerning Afghanistan
This step follows a 'strategic dialogue' between Pakistan and China, emphasizing the need to dismantle terrorist factions operating out of Afghanistan. Pakistan accuses Kabul of harboring terrorists like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the BLA, which threaten Chinese interests.
