Islamabad/Karachi: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has assured that those responsible for recent attacks on Chinese nationals in Karachi will face strict punishment.
During a visit to the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad on Wednesday, PM Sharif met with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong to express Pakistan’s commitment to ensuring the safety of Chinese citizens. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif reaffirmed that Pakistan is determined to bring the perpetrators of the Karachi shooting incident to justice.
On October 6, an attack on a convoy carrying Chinese workers in Karachi left two Chinese engineers and one other person dead, while 11 others sustained injuries. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group from Balochistan, claimed responsibility for the attack. Following the incident, the Chinese government urged Pakistan to take strong action against those involved and address security shortcomings.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the attack, emphasizing the need for Pakistan to strengthen security measures for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and the safety of Chinese personnel.
In a separate incident on Tuesday in Karachi’s SITE industrial area, a security guard opened fire on two Chinese nationals following a dispute, wounding both. They were taken to Liaquat National Hospital for treatment.
Police officials stated that the security guard fired on the Chinese nationals after an argument. The initial investigation revealed that the guard opened fire following a verbal confrontation, resulting in both men being injured.
In recent years, attacks targeting Chinese nationals in Pakistan have been on the rise, especially in Karachi, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Chinese engineers, experts, and projects have frequently been targeted. Most of these attacks have been claimed by the banned Baloch Liberation Army, which has adopted a more strategic approach in carrying out such actions.
