Pakistan's Special Branch of the police will soon scrutinise all security guards currently deployed at China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Non-CPEC projects or working alongside Chinese nationals.

A directive in this regard was issued by the Regional Police Office (RPO) to the City Police Office (CPO) and the District Police Officers (DPOs) of the three districts of Rawalpindi division, reported Dawn News.

They have been directed to ensure they are equipped with latest weapons.

Referring to the murder of a Chinese national in the federal capital territory in a house robbery early this month, the RPO Rawalpindi Syed Khurram Ali issued a guideline to the CPO Rawalpindi, DPOs of Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal to carry out a fresh security audit of CPEC and non-CPEC projects and rectify the loopholes identified by the law enforcement agencies (LEAs), the Pakistani newspaper reported.

Under the guidelines, the RPO directed the law enforcement agencies to carry out search operations in all those areas where the Chinese nationals are working or residing and to scrutinise Afghan nationals residing close to these areas. Security deployment should be made according to Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) during the movement of Chinese nationals.

The RPO also instructed to shift the Chinese nationals from populated areas to a better place and ensure they are provided foolproof security.

The Chinese national should be bound to travel in special vehicles, instead of traveling in local rickshaws or cabs. All such projects where five or more Chinese have been working, they should be provided security by the Special Protection Unit (SPU), reported Dawn News.

The RPO also recommended bullet proof vehicles should for the movements of Chinese and other foreign nationals and special security arrangements should be made for their residential areas.

Permanent zig-zag police pickets should be established around CPEC and NON-CPEC projects and mobile police patrolling should be ensured hourly around projects where Chinese nationals have been working.

The RPO further directed that foolproof security should be made for Chinese who have been individually working in markets or other places and they should be informed not to move anywhere without security cover, the Pakistani newspaper reported.

The RPO also directed officials to ensure out-of-order CCTV cameras and other security gadgets are repaired.