The Hindu - International

Chinese don’t want to follow security rules, says Maryam Nawaz

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Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Friday said that Chinese nationals living in Pakistan get “resentful” when they are asked to follow security protocols, a week after five Chinese engineers were among six killed in a suicide bombing in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhw­a province.

Ms. Maryam, the daughter of threetime former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who became the firstever woman Chief Minister of a province in Pakistan, while was addressing her maiden Apex Committee meeting here and said “the Chinese living here do not want to follow security discipline”. “They are resentful when they are asked to follow security protocols. They don’t want to come under any discipline as they fret over it,” she added.

The meeting was also attended by Corps Commander Lahore Lt Gen Syed Aamer Raza and other senior military officers.

Ms. Maryam, however, expressed her government’s resolve to provide foolproof security to the Chinese nationals working on developmen­t projects in Punjab. The meeting also condemned the killing of Chinese engineers in Bisham.

Five Chinese engineers — and their Pakistani driver — were killed in the suicide bombing last week while travelling between Islamabad and a hydroelect­ric dam constructi­on site in Dasu in Khyber Pakhtunkhw­a province. The bus was attacked in Bisham city of Shangla district.

Ms. Maryam said terrorism has taken the shape of difficult warfare. “Terrorists got digitalise­d and we need to be ahead of them on such platforms. Besides, terrorists have the latest weapons and technology. They have the US weapons which they got in Afghanista­n. The weapons coming from Afghanista­n are a big challenge for the law enforcemen­t agencies,” she said.

The 50yearold Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawa­z party leader added that the youth is also being brainwashe­d and recruited by terrorists. “And social media is one of the major tools being used for the purpose,” Ms, Maryam said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed all the security agencies to ensure foolproof security arrangemen­ts for the Chinese nationals working on various projects in the country.

According to a statement, the Prime Minister said he had decided to “personally review the meetings with respect to the overall security of the country, especially the security of the Chinese citizens”.

Mr. Sharif said the war against the menace of terrorism will continue till its complete eradicatio­n.

 ?? ?? Maryam Nawaz
Maryam Nawaz

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