Special troops to keep China-Pakistan corridor safe

Islamabad is going to set up a special force of approximately 10,000 troops to protect Chinese people and enterprises along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a media report said on Thursday.

Visiting Pakistani diplomat Syed Tariq Fatemi on Wednesday revealed the establishment of the force in reply to Beijing's security concerns over the increasing number of Chinese involved in more than 200 projects in the country, including 14,000 engineers and technicians, the China Daily reported.

"We have decided to create a special force of highly trained military people who will be specially equipped and will have special organisations in concerned ministries backing them, "Fatemi, who is Pakistan's special assistant to the prime minister for foreign affairs, said.

"Their task will be to provide the necessary safety and security of Chinese working in Pakistan and the Chinese companies and industries set up there."

He added that the move demonstrates the Pakistani government's strong commitment and that further steps would be taken as needed.

The CPEC is an ongoing, $46 billion project invested in by China that will expand Pakistan's infrastructure by linking its southwestern port city of Gwadar to China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region via a vast network of highways and railways.