12,000 men will be deployed to guard Chinese workers in Pak

April 23, 2015 15:14

Let me assure you, Mr President, Pakistan considers China's security as our own security, Nawaz Sharif told Xi Jinping on Tuesday in Pakistan's parliament.

Two days later, the Wall Street Journal reports that the Pakistan military plans to devote nine army battalions and six wings of civilian security force to protect Chinese workers and engineers. Roughly, this would equate to 12,000 men protecting the immigrant workers.

Xi, during his two-day visit to Pakistan, had announced a China-Pakistan economic corridor that would link the Pakistani port of Gwadar, now run by the Chinese, to the city of Kashgar in China's northwestern region of Xinjiang. The route would go through Pakistan's restive northern region with militant presence. Gwadar is in Baluchistan, where rebels are involved in a running battle with the Pakistani government, reports WSJ.

In 2013, members of an international mountaineering expedition, including two Chinese, were killed by the militants.

But the main threat to Chinese-backed projects in Pakistan will come from Al Qaeda and affiliates. Will the new security force be able to match up to them?

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