China, Pakistan discuss steps to strengthen security, speed up CPEC projects
India Today
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif held talks to strengthen security of Chinese citizens in Pakistan and fast-tracking of CPEC projects.
Enhanced security for Chinese nationals working in Pakistan and fast-tracking of the USD 60 billion CPEC projects figured high in the first talks between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his newly-appointed Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif on Monday.
According to several reports, a large number of Chinese workers deployed in Pakistan for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects started leaving the country after the suicide bomb attack at the Karachi University last month in which three Chinese language teachers were killed and another injured.
Sharif assured Li of "enhanced security" for Chinese nationals working in Pakistan during their telephone talks on Monday, Pakistani newspaper Express Tribune reported.
Several Chinese personnel died in the last few years in attacks by religious extremist groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) fighting for the independence of Balochistan.
The Pakistan Army has formed a separate brigade to protect the Chinese personnel. Chinese experts say while Pakistan security mainly focussed on major projects, those working in smaller institutions, like the Karachi University where the suicide bomber struck, remained soft targets.
The Pakistani side will strengthen security measures for all Chinese institutions and nationals in Pakistan to prevent similar incidents from happening again, Sharif told Li.
Li pointed out that the Chinese side is shocked and outraged by the recent attack on Chinese nationals in Karachi, and strongly condemns the terrorist attack.
