Pakistan has deployed two security personnel for every Chinese national working on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Following a series of attacks on the project, Pakistan has stationed as many as 14,503 security guards to protect the 7,036 Chinese workers on duty, most of whom are located in Punjab, which several jihadi tanzeems call home, according to the Times of India.

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A written reply in Pakistan's National Assembly said that out of the 14,503 security personnel, 6,364 were posted in Punjab, 3,134 in Balochistan, 2654 in Singh, 1912 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 439 in Islamabad. The reply was a response to a question raised by Pakistan People's Party member Shahida Rehman.

The security has been stepped up in order to protect Chinese workers from Balochi nationalists as well as Taliban factions who have abducted Chinese nationals in the past.

Even though the 2,000-km CPEC has been dubbed as a "game-changer" that will improve economic infrastructure by connecting Kashgar in China to the Gwadar port in Balochistan, the project has drawn hostile attention.

The project also gives India access to Afghanistan via a port-road link. The distribution of the CPEC projects also highlights the threat perception to various segments of the corridor. Out of 330 CPEC projects, only eight are located in Balochistan, where separatists have opposed the economic corridor.

The project offers India an opportunity to reach Afghanistan through a port-road link. The distribution of CPEC projects also reflects the threat perception to various segments of the corridor. Of 330 CPEC projects, just about eight are in Balochistan where separatist groups are opposing the corridor.

Pakistani officials claim that attacks on the controversial CPEC project have come down after security deployment was beefed up on site with a special security division, which includes nine composite infantry battalions and six civil armed force wings.

India has opposed the $46 billion CPEC project and sees it as a threat to national security because of the fact that it passes through PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), which New Delhi has claimed sovereignty over.

TagsPakistan, china, CPEC, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, India, Balochistan, POK