Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif condemned an attack on Chinese citizens in Karachi. He visited the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad on Wednesday and pledged swift justice and enhanced security for Chinese nationals in the country. The attack took place at a textile mill in Karachi, where a security guard opened fire on four Chinese workers who were installing machinery, injuring two before escaping. Police have filed terrorism charges against the assailant.
Sharif told Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong at the embassy that he was taking the incident very seriously. “I am personally overseeing efforts to apprehend the perpetrators,” he said, adding that the government would make sure that citizens of China were safe and incidents like this did not adversely affect Pakistan-China relations. The prime minister also asked health authorities to provide the injured with the best medical care, saying that this was important in the context of Pakistan’s alliance with China.
The Chinese ambassador appreciated Sharif’s visit and commitment by stating that swift action coupled with accountability would reinforce security for Chinese nationals working on various projects across Pakistan.
Recent attacks on Chinese nationals have posed concerns, especially as hundreds of Chinese workers have contributed to projects under the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In response, Pakistan has announced new measures to enhance the safety of such individuals.
This incident forms part of a pattern of attacks against Chinese workers, mainly in Balochistan, where separatist bodies have admitted to staging repeated attacks. The Chinese government has made a rare statement that it will be seeking increased security measures in Pakistan after the recent suicide bombing of a bus in Karachi and other fatal incidents this past quarter.
The Pakistani government has, however, focused its renewed interest on securing the environment for Chinese nationals so that CPEC initiatives become stable, which is crucial to Pakistan’s economic development and its strategic relationship with China.
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