Special protection unit expanded to enhance security for Chinese nationals

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to strengthen security for Chinese nationals, the Islamabad police expanded its Special Protection Unit (SPU), it was announced on Tuesday.

The decision follows a surge in terrorist attacks directed at foreign individuals, particularly Chinese nationals engaged in projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan.

According to an Islamabad police spokesperson, the Special Protection Unit has been reinforced with the addition of 140 new personnel.

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The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Security also issued an order mandating the deployment of these newly appointed personnel as soon as possible.

Islamabad is a focal point for Chinese diplomatic presence. China has invested more than $64 billion into Pakistan as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) connecting Asia, Africa and Europe over the land via a wide array of rails and roads.

In particular is the centrepiece of CPEC: the Gwadar seaport. The Chinese are developing the deep-water seaport to serve as a strategic trade hub that will connect China via Pakistan to the Arabian Sea and beyond. It will facilitate trade, energy transportation, and regional economic development.

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Gwadar seaport will also offer a significantly shorter route for energy transportation compared to the congested Straits of Malacca. This will provide China with an alternative and far more efficient pathway for its energy imports.

The expansion of the SPU also aligns with broader efforts to strengthen security infrastructure and enhance coordination mechanisms between law enforcement agencies within Pakistan.

Five Chinese citizens were targeted in a terrorist attack in the Shangla area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in March. A suicide bomber struck a vehicle carrying Chinese engineers in the Shangla district. The attack resulted in the deaths of six people, including the five Chinese nationals.

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Following the attack, China demanded a proper but quick investigation and arrest of terrorists behind the suicide attack. China’s foreign ministry called on Pakidtan to “thoroughly investigate the incident as soon as possible, hunt down the perpetrators, and bring them to justice”.

“We ask Pakistan to take effective measures to ensure the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects, and institutions in Pakistan,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said.