Islamabad: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi Thursday met with China’s top diplomat at the country’s embassy here and assured him of the safety of Chinese citizens and projects in Pakistan, saying it was the government’s topmost priority.
Naqvi’s visit to the Chinese mission to meet Ambassador Jiang Zaidong comes two days after a local security guard opened fire at two Chinese nationals on Tuesday following a quarrel in the port city of Karachi.
According to a statement, Naqvi regretted the firing incident in Karachi in which two Chinese citizens were injured.
Both sides agreed to devise a joint strategy to prevent such incidents in the future.
Naqvi underscored that the protection of Chinese citizens remains a top priority, especially in light of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, which are integral to the bilateral partnership.
“All possible steps are being taken to secure a peaceful environment for Chinese nationals working in Pakistan,” he said, adding that those responsible for the Karachi attack would be brought to justice.
Naqvi also conveyed condolences to the victims and their families, providing updates on the investigation’s progress.
Both sides discussed strategies to prevent similar incidents in the future, with a commitment to enhancing bilateral security cooperation and the safety of Chinese workers in Pakistan.
The ambassador thanked the minister for the recent security measures during the Chinese premier’s visit and conveyed a message from President Xi Jinping to Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, wishing him a swift recovery.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from Pakistan’s interior ministry and the Chinese embassy, with discussions highlighting the ongoing growth in Pakistan-China cooperation and the need for a stable environment to support this alliance.
This was the third incident involving attacks on Chinese or other foreign nationals in Karachi this year.
In October, two Chinese engineers working at the Port Qasim terminal were killed when a suicide bomber struck the vehicle carrying them near the Karachi airport.
In April, five Japanese nationals working in the Landhi industrial zone came under attack by a suicide bomber but luckily escaped unhurt.
Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said that the Pakistan government will leave no stone unturned to protect the lives and properties of Chinese nationals living in the country.
Thousands of Chinese personnel are working in Pakistan on several projects under the aegis of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The issue of security of Chinese nationals is a moot point between Pakistan and China. The two sides openly differed for the first time when the Chinese ambassador last week expressed concerns over the security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan.
In response, Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Baloch termed his views as “perplexing”, while saying that Pakistan is committed to providing full security to Chinese nationals, projects and institutions in Pakistan.
