Senior Pakistani journalist and political commentator Najam Sethi has claimed that Pakistan has lost significant credibility internationally and is increasingly relying on China for security cooperation, including the possible involvement of Chinese security and intelligence personnel inside the country.
Speaking during a discussion on the recent Middle East crisis and shifting geopolitical alignments, Sethi said Pakistan’s long-standing policy of independently securing Chinese investments has changed. According to him, Islamabad had earlier assured Beijing that it would handle security for projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship initiative of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
However, Sethi claimed that China had increasingly demanded a greater role in protecting its assets and personnel in Pakistan. “China wanted joint intelligence and joint security operations inside Pakistan,” he said, adding that Beijing also sought involvement in the protection of workers and infrastructure connected to CPEC.
Pakistan had traditionally resisted such proposals, insisting that its own security forces would provide protection. But Sethi alleged that a new understanding has recently been reached that allows China to strengthen its own security presence in the country.
“This means Chinese PLA personnel and Chinese intelligence will come inside Pakistan to protect their assets,” he said, referring to the People’s Liberation Army.
According to Sethi, the arrangement may also include intelligence sharing, with Chinese agencies providing Pakistan information about militant activities, including those linked to the Taliban, as well as alleged foreign intelligence operations in the region.
He described Pakistan’s acceptance of these terms as a major shift in policy, suggesting that Islamabad has been compelled to accommodate Beijing’s demands.
