The Punjab government has sanctioned the acquisition of 37 bulletproof vehicles to bolster security measures for Chinese engineers and officials engaged in various projects, notably the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Of these vehicles, 11 are earmarked for CPEC initiatives, while 23 will cater to Chinese residents involved in other provincial projects. Additionally, three bulletproof vehicles will be permanently stationed to enhance security measures.
Presently, 18 bulletproof vehicles are already deployed to safeguard Chinese citizens. These decisions come after a comprehensive security audit and evaluation of Chinese citizens’ movements between January 1 and March 31.
The move to allocate additional bulletproof vehicles underscores the Punjab government’s commitment to providing a safe environment for Chinese personnel engaged in vital infrastructure projects throughout the province.
These actions are a direct response to an attack on a convoy of Chinese nationals in the Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 26, which resulted in the tragic deaths of five engineers and their Pakistani driver. The attack, which occurred in Bisham tehsil, involved assailants targeting the vehicle carrying the engineers with an explosive-laden vehicle. This caused the convoy to veer off the road into a ditch as they were traveling from Islamabad to Kohistan.
Malakand’s Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Muhammad Ali, has suggested that the attack was likely a suicide mission. He explained that the assailants deliberately struck the passenger vehicle with an explosive-laden vehicle, causing it to swerve off the road.
