Chinese investors have approached the Sindh Superior Court in search of legal intervention for alleged harassment and extortion by the Local Police, said Express News.
The petitioners appeared before the court claiming that they were subject to harassment and extortion by police officers in Sindh. They warned that, unless the authorities intervened, they would return to Lahore or abandon the country completely.
The lawyer of the petitioner, the lawyer Rahman Mehsud, argued that Chinese investors had come to Pakistan for invitation of senior officials, including Prime Minister and the Chief of the Army, to make investments. However, they have faced numerous challenges since their arrival.
Mehsud said that from the airport to their residences, investors were asked for bribes and had to endure long waiting to receive armored vehicles at the airport. In exchange for bribes, police officers allegedly transported them to their residences.
In addition, the petitioners affirmed that their residences were often closed with a key and security personnel stationed abroad, which restricted their freedom of movement.
They also claimed that they could not attend business meetings and, sometimes, police officers broke the glass of their vehicles during attacks. Due to a bribe that ranged between 30,000 and 50,000 rupees, the police offered limited movement opportunities.
The petition also mentions an incident in which three Chinese investors were forced to return to China after suffering from respect in an exhibition center.
In addition, local authorities closed seven Chinese property factories in the jurisdiction of Sakhi Than. The petitioners asked the Court to order the authorities to protect the rights of Chinese citizens in accordance with international laws.
In response, the Court issued notices to all parties involved, including the Ministry of Interior, the chief secretary of Sindh, the Police General Inspector, the Minister of the Interior, the Head of the Special Security Unit of the CPEC and the Embassy of China. The court has requested responses from the parties within four weeks.
