Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared on Friday that protecting Chinese nationals in Pakistan is the government's highest priority, delivering the assurance at a business conference where nearly half a billion dollars in new agreements were signed. Main Developments Speaking at the Pakistan-China Pharmaceutical and Healthcare B2B Investment Conference in Islamabad, PM Shehbaz stated with full force that Chinese citizens' security is "paramount for us" and vowed to leave no stone unturned in providing the best possible protection. The conference saw multiple agreements signed between Pakistani and Chinese companies in healthcare, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals, with the prime minister placing their cumulative value at nearly $440 million. Read also: Lahore Court Remands Four in Foreign Women Abduction Case PM Shehbaz framed the deals as a step toward promoting CPEC 2.0, promising they would be converted into implementable documents. He described his recent visit to China as "wonderful" and called China one of Pakistan's most trusted and dependable friends. Background The prime minister's security pledge came just two days after State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry announced stepped-up security around the China-run Saindak copper and gold mine in Balochistan, following terrorist disruptions of supply routes in the region. That announcement occurred amid ongoing kinetic operations under Operation Shaban, a high-intensity counterterrorism and counterinsurgency campaign launched by security forces after multiple high-casualty terrorist attacks in Balochistan. Chinese citizens and projects have been repeatedly targeted in Pakistan. Data from the National Counter Terrorism Authority, shared in December 2024, shows 20 Chinese citizens were killed and 34 injured in terror attacks from 2021 through that date. Notable attacks include the March 2024 suicide bombing near the Dasu dam project that killed five Chinese workers, the April 2022 suicide attack outside the University of Karachi's Confucius Institute that killed three Chinese nationals, and the July 2021 bus attack near the Dasu hydropower plant that killed nine Chinese engineers. Why It Matters China has invested more than $30 billion in Pakistan under CPEC 1.0, making it the single largest investment portfolio in the country. The security of Chinese personnel is directly tied to the continuation and expansion of this economic partnership. The new pharmaceutical and healthcare agreements signal a shift toward CPEC 2.0, which focuses on industrial cooperation and livelihood projects. PM Shehbaz emphasized that China stood by Pakistan through difficult times, supporting its economic trajectory and international positions. He also noted that China is a global economic power that "the world cannot move without," attributing its achievements to President Xi Jinping's forward-looking leadership. Friday's conference, he said, would promote the pharmaceutical industry and eventually lead to manufacturing life-saving medicines, vaccines, and exports to neighboring countries. What's Next The signed agreements are expected to be converted into actionable and implementable documents, though no specific timeline has been provided. Security operations under Operation Shaban continue in Balochistan, with authorities maintaining heightened protection around Chinese-run facilities. Questions remain about whether the enhanced security measures will be sufficient to prevent future attacks on Chinese nationals, given the persistent threat from militant groups operating in the region.