Pak-China ties to keep strengthening despite Karachi attack: Arif Alvi
May 01, 2022
Islamabad [Pakistan], May 1 : Saying that Pakistan will thwart any attempt to undermine its relations with China, President Arif Alvi on Saturday sought to reconcile the ties between the two countries by paying a visit to the Chinese embassy in Islamabad.
Alvi said that the "hostile intent" of the country's enemies was behind the suicide attack in Karachi that killed three Chinese nationals.
The Pakistani President made the remarks during a visit to the Chinese embassy where he expressed condolences to the Chinese side over the deaths of the teachers, and strongly condemned the attack, saying that Pakistan will spare no effort to fight against terrorism and ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the country, Xinhua reported.
"The victims were friendly ambassadors who promoted people-to-people exchanges between Pakistan and China," Arif Alvi said, adding that the terrorists aimed at damaging the Pakistan-China friendship and the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
On Tuesday afternoon, a vehicle exploded near Confucius Institute - a Chinese language teaching centre in Karachi University - in which four people including three Chinese nationals were killed.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which has been resisting the Chinese investments in Balochistan, especially under the CPEC has claimed responsibility for the incident.
The Karachi suicide bombing is part of an intensifying Baloch pushback against the USD 54 billion CPEC. It also spotlights the larger and deeper struggle for Balochistan's freedom, Dawn reported.
Pang thanked Alvi for his visit and said that China strongly condemns the terrorist attack and has asked the Pakistani side to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.