Chinese Security Posts In Pakistan? Islamabad's New Commitments To Beijing Signal Deeper Pressure

Last Updated:January 08, 2026, 13:16 IST

Sources reveal that Islamabad has agreed to allow the establishment of Chinese “security posts” inside Pakistan, marking a significant shift in bilateral security cooperation.

At the 7th round of the Pakistan–China Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue held in Beijing, Chinese officials conveyed dissatisfaction over the slow progress and operational shortcomings of key CPEC components, particularly in Balochistan.

Pakistan has made a fresh set of security commitments to China amid growing concerns in Beijing over the safety of its citizens and investments in the country, particularly those linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Top security sources reveal that Islamabad has agreed to allow the establishment of Chinese “security posts" — described by officials as inner-posts — inside Pakistan, marking a significant shift in bilateral security cooperation.

According to sources, this move follows a recent China-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue held in Beijing, during which Chinese authorities raised sharp concerns over repeated attacks on Chinese nationals. Around 90 Chinese citizens working on CPEC and related infrastructure projects have been killed in Pakistan since 2014, underscoring Beijing’s long-standing demand for a safer operating environment.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, during his visit to Beijing, reportedly signed a confidential agreement with China’s Ministry of Public Security. Under the arrangement, Pakistan has assured China of a broader and more robust security framework, including the creation of Special Protection Units (SPUs) dedicated exclusively to safeguarding Chinese nationals.

These SPUs are being established across major urban and strategic locations including Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Sukkur, Peshawar, Gwadar, and Gilgit-Baltistan. The units will work alongside existing military deployments that already protect key CPEC installations.

Sources further indicate that China has pushed Pakistan to move beyond conventional military outposts and allow layered, localised security mechanisms closer to Chinese personnel and assets. This includes joint police training programmes, enhanced intelligence-sharing, and the formation of a coordinated counter-terrorism mechanism involving Pakistani and Chinese security agencies.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Naqvi have both assured Chinese officials that Islamabad is taking “strong measures at all levels" to address security gaps. The two sides have also agreed to conduct a joint review of security cooperation every 90 days, institutionalising oversight and accountability.

Despite investing nearly $60 billion in Pakistan’s infrastructure, China remains dissatisfied with the overall security climate. Sources say Beijing has placed only two non-negotiable demands before Islamabad: absolute security for Chinese nationals and a one-window operational system to facilitate Chinese investments and financial transactions without bureaucratic delays.

The evolving arrangements highlight China’s growing assertiveness in protecting its overseas interests — and Pakistan’s increasing strategic dependence on Beijing — even as questions arise about sovereignty, transparency, and the long-term implications of foreign security footprints on Pakistani soil.

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