By: Muhammad Ijaz Afridi
PESHAWAR: Serious questions have been raised during the security audit of the ongoing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and other important national and international projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
An important meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home Department has revealed that many major development projects are deprived of modern security facilities, which poses serious risks not only to these projects but also to the lives of foreigners working on them, especially Chinese engineers.
According to the proceedings of the meeting and available documents, basic security facilities such as biometric systems, X-ray scanners, hydraulic barriers, explosive detection devices, and anti-drone jammers are either non-existent or ineffective in 15 important projects underway in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to available evidence, Chinese citizens are forced to take extremely dangerous routes to reach the Tankol Nal Plant and Tankol Copper Mining in the sensitive areas of North Waziristan, where there are reports of the presence of extremist elements.
Drone attacks on the Warsak Canal and Balakot hydropower projects have been identified as potential threats, but anti-drone technology has not been installed at these locations yet.
The meeting also revealed that the boundary walls of various units of the Dasu Hydropower Project (Upper Kohistan), including the by-ageing plant and the crusher plant, are either incomplete or substandard. Equipment required for scanning heavy vehicles is also not available at the project.
The World Bank, issuing a written warning on the issue, has termed local opposition as the biggest obstacle to the completion of the project.
Documents of the meeting show that locals of Upper Kohistan, Dasu, and Pattan have stopped work on the Karakoram Highway and the Right Bank Access Road, due to which the 132 kV transmission line project has been delayed by ten years.
The Home Department meeting decided that Chinese engineers and other foreign experts will be transported to sensitive areas like Balakot, Warsak, Lakki Marwat and Gomal Zam Dam by helicopter.
The meeting emphasised that drones like quadcopters can cause havoc by colliding with important persons or helicopters; hence, anti-drone jammers will be installed at all important locations immediately.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home Department has issued instructions to all relevant agencies to immediately address the shortcomings in the security of important projects and foreign personnel.
The meeting also decided that strict implementation of security SOPs will be ensured so that national and international investments and human lives can be protected.
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