ISLAMABAD (PEN) : A high-level security meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, conducted an audit of the security measures being ensured for foreign nationals, especially Chinese.
In the wake of Tuesday’s attack on Chinese engineers in Shangla, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened a high-level security meeting aimed at evaluating and enhancing the security measures for foreigners, with a special focus on Chinese residents in Pakistan.
The meeting also took stock of the country’s overall security situation. The agenda primarily focused on conducting a comprehensive security review of Chinese nationals employed on various projects across Pakistan.
Heads of security agencies participated in the discussions, along with federal ministers, inspectors general of police, and other relevant authorities.
The sources said that the attack on the Chinese citizens was strongly condemned in the meeting, while the political leadership and security officials reiterated their commitment to ensure the security of Chinese citizens.
The participants of the meeting also vowed to deal with terrorists with iron hands. “The enemies of the country will be chased away everywhere,” the meeting agreed.
Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Sharif stated that the entire nation sympathised with the families of the slain Chinese citizens, stressing that Pakistan would soon investigate the incident at a high level.
“Those responsible and their facilitators will be severely punished. Any tactics to damage Pakistan-China friendship will not be allowed to succeed,” Shehbaz remarked, adding that the enemies could never succeed in their evil intentions.
“The war against terrorism will continue till the end of the scourge,” the PM vowed.
Sources within the meeting indicate that security considerations for Chinese citizens working in Pakistan are being thoroughly examined, with a particular emphasis on reviewing existing security arrangements and conducting a detailed security audit.
The Ministry of Interior and security agencies are expected to brief the participants on the current security situation in the country in view of the safety of foreigners, especially Chinese residents.
The high-level meeting comes in the wake of Tuesday’s attack on a convoy of Chinese engineers in the Bisham tehsil of Shangla district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which killed five foreign nationals and their local driver.
Malakand Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police Muhammad Ali claimed that five foreign engineers and their driver were feared to be the victims after their car was attacked.
He further said that many people were feared injured in the attack also. “The attack appears to be a suicide, but an investigation is underway,” the police officer said, adding that the passenger vehicle was going from Islamabad to Kohistan.
The officer claimed that attackers rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the passenger car, which eventually fell into a ditch.