Daily Times

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has stressed that there is no room for negligence in the security plan for foreign nationals.

Minister Naqvi chaired a significant meeting on Saturday where the government’s measures for the protection of foreign nationals, particularly Chinese citizens, were reviewed. The meeting also considered the overall security situation in the country. The interior minister instructed strict compliance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the security plan related to foreign nationals, highlighting the need for regular monitoring at all levels. Federal Secretary of Interior Khurram Ali Agha, National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Chief Muhammad Tahir Rai, National Action Plan Coordinator, and senior officials from the Ministry of Interior and other agencies attended the meeting.

“Relevant institutions must maintain close coordination to thwart the malicious intentions of anti-state elements,” he stated, adding, “There is no room for negligence in the security plan.” During the briefing, officials from the ministry of interior and other relevant institutions provided updates on the security plan and the current situation. Yesterday, a visiting Chinese minister called for enhanced security for his nationals in Pakistan, saying the volatile security situation shook the confidence of his country’s investors.

“We need to improve security and the business environment. Security threats are the main hazards disturbing CPEC cooperation,” remarked Liu Jianchao, the Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC), while co-chairing the meeting of the Pakistan-China Joint Consultative Mechanism with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Earlier on June 16, Minister Naqvi met Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong to discuss the protection and security of Chinese citizens in Pakistan. He outlined the measures for protecting Chinese citizens across Pakistan and discussed the security plan for Chinese engineers and staff working on CPEC and other projects. On May 7, comprehensive security arrangements were implemented for Chinese residents and other foreign tourists residing in the Rawalpindi region. The action was taken in response to directives from the Ministry of Interior.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Omar Ayub Khan, has urged Army Chief General Asim Munir to call an immediate Corps Commanders Conference to discuss security failures concerning Chinese citizens. The call was made during a National Assembly session chaired by Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Saturday.