New Delhi: In yet another violent attack, two Chinese nationals were shot at in Karachi on Tuesday. The shooting incident has been confirmed by the police and hospital officials. The attack has sparked fresh concerns over the safety of Chinese nationals across the country.
Faizan Ali, a senior superintendent of police, said that two Chinese nationals had been injured in the incident. No additional details were provided. A spokesperson for Liaquat National Hospital, where the Chinese nationals are getting treated, said that one of the victims was in serious condition.
Earlier, in October, in a suicide bombing near Karachi airport, two Chinese nationals were killed and 10 others were left injured. The banned Balochistan Liberation Army claimed the responsibility of the attack. A suicide bombing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in March claimed the lives of five Chinese engineers.
It is to be noted that since the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was launched a decade back, as many as 21 Chinese nationals have been killed in such attacks.
Chinese envoy condemns recent attacks
Jiang Zaidong, Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, has condemned the recent surge in violence. He has appealed for decisive action against anti-China terrorist groups. He remarked that security concerns poses the main challenge to CPEC’s success. Zaidong asked Pakistan to step up measures to ensure protection of Chinese nationals and projects, pointing out that “without a safe environment, nothing can be achieved”.
As per a report published by the Pakistani publication Dawn on Sunday, China is likely to employ its private security firms to ensure the safety of Chinese workers in Pakistan as part of a possible joint security mechanism between Beijing and Islamabad.
A number of Chinese nationals are working in Pakistan under the $62-billion CPEC project. China aims to expand its trade links and influence in Pakistan and across Central and South Asia through this project.
