PM to oversee security of Chinese nationals

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif decided on Friday that he will review himself the meetings conducted regarding the security situation in the country in general and the security of the Chinese nationals working on different projects across the country in particular every month. Just days after an attack on Chinese engineers in Besham area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the prime minister has directed all the security agencies to take all the measures to ensure fool-proof security of the Chinese citizens present in Pakistan. The premier’s direction came during a high-level meeting regarding the law and order situation in the country. The meeting has taken place after six people, including five Chinese engineers, were killed in a suicide attack in Besham, a remote area of K-P province, on March 26. In the meeting, PM Shehbaz directed to make a comprehensive plan of action for regular audit of security SOPs. “We will continue the war against the monster of terrorism until it is eradicated from the country,” PM Shehbaz said. In addition, the premier directed the ministry of interior to increase cooperation with the provinces for the eradication of terrorism from the country and for bringing further improvement in the provincial anti-terrorism departments. The premier’s direction came after the interior ministry gave a briefing to the prime minister regarding the overall security situation of the country and the performance of the ministry. Federal Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi, heads of security agencies and relevant senior officials attended the meeting. The recent killing of Chinese nationals and attacks of facilities linked to China have emerged as a test for new government. Soon after the attacks, PM Shehbaz had instructed to conduct a thorough joint investigation, saying the perpetrators of the barbaric act would be brought to justice swiftly. Pakistan had also decided to raise the issue of the use of Afghan soil in the recent terrorist attacks targeting Chinese engineers with the Taliban interim government, as the initial investigation suggested a link with Afghanistan. Though no group has claimed responsibility for the March 26 attack, it was reported, initial investigations suggest a network linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was behind the incident. Authorities have made certain arrests since then based on the SIM card recovered from the suicide bomber, who is thought to be an Afghan national. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to embark on an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from April 6th to April 8th, 2024, coinciding with the final days of Ramazan. This journey marks the prime minister’s inaugural foreign visit since assuming office. Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the government will establish new Danish schools in remote areas of Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and other areas of the country including Islamabad where the children will get state of the art free education, boarding, and food facilities. He was talking to the participants of the iftar-dinner hosted by him in honour of orphaned children and children with special abilities at the Prime Minister House on Thursday. Besides he also announced to establish state of the art hospitals in Islamabad, AJK and GB. The prime minister, on the occasion, taking keen interest in the children, interacted with them and inquired about their well-being. “I am happy to meet the cute children came from various institutions including SOS and Hassan Academy,” he said adding today the children were the chief guests while he was their host. During his interaction with the children, the prime minister said he found them very intelligent who will join different professions in future and will play key role in the country’s development and prosperity. He said no doubt, the parents were the biggest blessings, but the Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH was also born with no father and his mother passed away when he was only six years old.