China said on Thursday it would work with Pakistan to protect the safety and security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan, following the killing of two Chinese engineers claimed by a separatist group on Sunday.
Mao Ning, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, said she was not aware of reports that Pakistani authorities are seeking to curb movements of Chinese citizens during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting next week because of a security risk from militant groups targeting them.
Last week, the security of all foreigners residing in Punjab, including Chinese citizens, was heightened in light of the prevailing security concerns in the region.
Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Special Protection Unit, Muntazar Mehdi, issued a directive to enforce the security advisory strictly, emphasizing that the safety of Chinese citizens, in particular, was of paramount importance. He warned that any negligence in this regard would not be tolerated.
DIG Mehdi further instructed authorities to monitor the arrival and departure of foreigners using the surveillance cameras of the Punjab Safe City Authority. In addition, he ordered the use of bulletproof vehicles for the transportation of all foreigners and directed that the Special Branch carry out search and sweeping operations along the routes they travel.
These measures come in the wake of a suspected suicide attack on a convoy of Chinese engineers in Karachi that killed three people, including two Chinese citizens, and injuring around 17 others. The injured include a Chinese engineer as well as Rangers and police personnel.
China has requested the Pakistani side to thoroughly investigate the attack in Karachi, severely punish the perpetrators, and take all necessary measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens, institutions and projects in Pakistan.
