PAKISTAN, CHINA FORMULATING JOINT SECURITY STRATEGY FOR CHINESE NATIONALS

By Ali Furqan
Pakistan and China are formulating a joint security strategy for the protection of Chinese nationals and companies working in Pakistan. 
Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed confirmed that a joint strategy would be formulated to counter the attacks on the Chinese citizens and projects in Pakistan. 
He stated this in a press conference the other day here in Islamabad. 
This statement came a few days after the attack on Chinese citizens in Gawadar port city of Balochistan.
Chinese ambassador also raised the issue of safety of Chinese nationals in Pakistan and demanded stronger security protocol for them.
The attack at the Gwadar East Bay Expressway project injured one Chinese national and killed two local children. Responsibility as claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army, a separatist group that has also launched similar attacks in the past.
Masood Khalid, former Pakistani ambassador who serves in Beijing said that China is concerned about the recent attack on Chinese but the statements by the Beijing doesn’t mean that neighbouring country is angry with Pakistan. 
He said that two divisions are raised in the army for the protection of CPEC projects and consider the joint strategy by both countries a good development. Pakistan should secure Chinese working for CPEC projects he added. 
Masood Khalid said that the terror attacks on Chinese wouldn’t achieve their aims so far because China and Pakistan know which forces are behind these attacks.
Former federal secretary interior Tasneem Noorani was also off the opinion that the recent target attacks on Chinese is alarming for Beijing.
He said although the most of attacks wouldn’t achieve their objectives of stopping CPEC projects but the Dasu bus attacks was successful one which kills 13 people including 9 Chinese.
He says China raises the protection of their citizen issue and demands security for their people and projects.
Tasneem Noorani says that the joint strategy would enhance coordination at the level of intelligence, interior security agencies and military of both countries.
He said that China knows the ground realities and Beijing is concerned but not scared of the attacks.