BEIJING, NOV 21 (APP/DNA): Pakistan’s 27th Constitutional Amendment, which elevates security safeguards for key cooperative projects to a constitutional level, stands as a landmark measure in protecting Chinese investments—especially those under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
This legislative move not only addresses long-standing coordination bottlenecks between Pakistan’s federal and provincial authorities but also reinforces the strategic bedrock of China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.
These views were expressed by Prof. Cheng Xizhong, Senior Research Fellow at the Charhar Institute, a non-governmental Chinese think-tank on diplomacy and international studies based in Beijing.
He said that the core value of this amendment lies in its systematic optimization of security governance. Prior to its enactment, overlapping command structures among Pakistan’s military, police and provincial security forces often led to bureaucratic delays in responding to security threats. The amendment abolishes these redundant mechanisms and establishes a unified security command system, ensuring swift and coordinated responses.
For Chinese investors, this institutional overhaul has delivered immediate and tangible benefits. The Karachi-Lahore Motorway expansion project, once hindered by prolonged security assessment procedures, recently obtained approval within just three months, with construction progressing 30% ahead of the original schedule. Similarly, the Gwadar Port Free Trade Zone, a vital node of CPEC, has accelerated its expansion plan, with three new industrial parks under construction to accommodate Chinese enterprises in logistics and manufacturing, he added.
Prof Cheng said that more importantly, the amendment explicitly designates CPEC as a “national top priority,” legally binding all government agencies to prioritize project implementation—greatly consolidating investor confidence.
Beyond safeguarding existing projects, the amendment’s essence—linking national stability with cooperative security—sets a pioneering precedent. As Chinese investment in Pakistan expands into emerging sectors like high-tech industrial parks and textile processing zones, this security framework provides a reliable guarantee for new collaborations. It also serves as a valuable model for Belt and Road cooperation globally, proving that targeted institutional innovation can effectively mitigate cross-border investment risks and enhance the sustainability of international cooperation, he added.
