By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD - Pakistani lawmakers have raised concerns over proposed powers that would allow personnel of a new WAPDA Security Force (WSF) to arrest people within a one-kilometre radius of water and power infrastructure, saying the provisions require further scrutiny, according to daily Dawn.

The issue was discussed during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Water Resources as lawmakers examined the proposed WAPDA Security Force Act 2026.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmakers Javed Ali Shah and Saba Talpur questioned the use of the term “force” in the proposed legislation and expressed reservations over granting arrest powers to the new security body.

They referred to previous Supreme Court orders concerning the use of the term “force” by security agencies.

WAPDA Chairman retired Gen. Muhammad Saeed defended the proposed legislation, saying its provisions had been discussed with provincial governments and that arrest powers would primarily apply to cases involving trespassing into or around protected project areas and installations.

He compared the proposed authority with the powers of Pakistan’s Airports Security Force (ASF), which is responsible for security within airport jurisdictions and certain areas outside airport premises.

Saeed said stronger security arrangements were necessary to protect major infrastructure projects and installations, particularly those considered strategically important.

A legal team from Pakistan’s Ministry of Law told the committee that any arrest made under the proposed law would be conducted in accordance with the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Officials said anyone detained within the one-kilometre security zone would be handed over to the police immediately.

The legal representatives also clarified that the Supreme Court’s restrictions concerning the use of the term “force” applied to private security agencies and did not prevent the government from establishing state-sanctioned security organizations using the term.

The proposed force is being established against the backdrop of deadly attacks targeting workers and engineers associated with Pakistan’s major hydropower projects.

Two terrorist attacks targeted personnel working on the more than $6 billion Dasu Hydropower Project in 2021 and 2024, killing several Chinese and Pakistani workers.

Following the attacks, security arrangements for the Dasu project were initially incorporated into the broader security structure established for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.

However, WAPDA Chairman Saeed told lawmakers that the CPEC North and South divisions already had their own responsibilities, while provincial governments faced difficulties in providing sufficient security personnel to protect WAPDA installations.

The proposed WAPDA Security Force is therefore intended to create a dedicated security mechanism for the authority’s major projects and installations.

The debate over the bill highlights the challenge of balancing the protection of critical infrastructure and foreign workers with concerns over expanding the arrest powers of a specialized security force.