MPs body asks govt to finalise ToRs for CPEC security division

Islamabad

The Parliamentary Committee on China, Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on Monday conveyed its concerns on delay to finalise Terms of Reference (ToRs) on Special Security Division (SSD) for the security of projects under the CPEC and Chinese nationals and strongly recommended the government urgently convene a meeting of all provincial governments for the finalisation of ToRs on SSD on priority basis. 

The committee on CPEC held its meeting Monday with its Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed in the chair as the committee was briefed by the Interior Ministry on CPEC security and various steps that the government had taken to protect Chinese nationals and Chinese project under the CPEC.

According to sources, the committee was informed that so far only the Punjab government has sent ToRs for Special Security Division but waiting the ToRs from other provinces.

The committee directed the provincial governments to speed up to send the ToRs for SSD so that the SSD deployment be finalised for the security of the projects under CPEC and Chinese nationals.

The Interior Ministry informed the parliamentary committee that a 15,000 dedicated strong force, comprising over 9,000 regular soldiers of the Pakistan Army plus 6,000 personnel of the para-military force would comprise the Special Security Division (SSD) that has been entrusted with the duty of protection of Chinese personnel and projects under the CPEC.

 The Interior Ministry further informed the parliamentary committee on CPEC that the SSD is interlocked with provincial police and all provincial governments were called by the Federal Government on terms of deployment of SSD.

Additionally, it briefed to the committee that Rs1.3 billion has been allocated for CPEC  security in addition to the efforts of provincial governments, the cost of raising the Special Security Division was Rs5 billion and it took a year to be raised. Apart from security on land, the government has also taken relevant initiative through the maritime security agency to protect the coast as well as through the Pakistan Air Force.

The committee conveyed its concerns on delay in the issue and strongly recommended the government urgently to convene a meeting of all provincial governments for the finalisation of Terms of References (ToRs) of SSD on priority basis. 

 Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed also presented the report of the parliamentary committee’s visit to Gilgit-Baltistan and said that Gilgit-Baltistan is the entry point of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor from the Chinese province of Xinjiang into Gilgit-Baltistan. Hence, Gilgit-Baltistan must be given top priority in promoting development in its various sectors. 

In this context, the chairman directed that a meeting would be especially held by the committee on CPEC on Gilgit-Baltistan issue where the Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister  will be invited to interact with the Ministry of Planning and Development so that projects of Gilgit-Baltistan on CPEC are pushed swiftly and substantially.

Briefing the committee on the role of the Commerce Ministry, the additional secretary, Policy and Planning, informed the ministry is negotiating Phase-II, China-Pak Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA), which covers goods, services and investments. Using Pakistan China FTA Phase-II, the tariff reduction modality (TRM) can be linked with guided investment from China into the manufacturing sector in CPEC.

 The committee was told that there have been various efforts at investments from China in auto, textiles and electronics in Pakistan.

FAW Dongfeng group is manufacturing pickups and vans. They have also set up a new plant to manufacture 1,300cc cars, Haier is assembling laptops and mobile phones.

The Commerce Ministry officials briefed the committee that there is also a new joint venture in knitwear in Faisalabad, the first in the textile sector from China. “Pakistan has to position itself to attract investment from China in labour intensive sectors eg textiles, garments, footwares and paper, as rising labour costs have lead to decline in China’s competitiveness,” the Commerce Ministry official briefed the committee.

Responding to the different queries and questions regarding survey report on wind power generation capacity in Balochistan and KP, the representative of the Ministry of Water and Power stated that the alternative Energy Development Board has boosted the efforts on the already taken steps and measures for the development of wind and solo energy in the subject provinces.

It was informed to the Parliamentary committee on CPEC that the wind and solar resource assessment is already being carried out in Balochistan and Khyber Pukhtnkhwa, along with the others part of the country, through Energy Sector Management assistance programmes of the world bank. Under the programme a total of 12 wind measuring masts are being installed in different parts of the country where potential for wind power generation has been identified through satellite data analysis so that renewable energy projects can be promoted. 

The secretary planning also briefed the committee on the visit to China of the Ministers for Planning and Development and Railways, who are there to prepare a comprehensive plan for the up-gradation and dualisation of Pakistan railways as part of CPEC from Karachi to Peshawar with the project being worth for $8billion dollars.

The meeting was attended by its members, Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, MNA; Dr Ibadullah, MNA; Ghous Bux Mahar, MNA; Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, MNA; Senator Sardar Fateh Muhammad Hassani, Senator Lt Gen (r) Salahuddin Tirmizi, Senator Talha Mehmood, Senator Shibli Faraz and Secretary of the Committee, Khalid Mahmood.