Pakistan vows commitment to Chinese nationals' safety amid terror attacks on ports
Oct 16, 2024
Islamabad [Pakistan], October 16 : Pakistan and China reaffirmed their "unwavering commitment" to combating terrorism in all its forms, embracing a zero-tolerance policy during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, according to a report by Geo News.
The two nations also expressed readiness to collaborate with the international community to bolster multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation within established organisations such as the United Nations and the SCO.
During the summit, Pakistan strongly condemned recent terrorist attacks targeting Chinese personnel in Pakistan, including the March 26, 2024 attack on the Dasu Hydropower Project and the October 6, 2024 attack on the Port Qasim Power Plant convoy. It pledged to uncover the truth behind these incidents and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
The Pakistani side emphasised its firm and unswerving commitment to further enhancing security input and coordination, further strengthening security measures, and making comprehensive efforts to ensure the safety and security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan, Geo News reported.
Notably, the attack on Dasu Hydropower Project, which took place in Bisham City in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Shangla district, claimed the lives of five Chinese engineers along with one Pakistani citizen. The bus targeted in the attack was travelling at a distance of 15 feet from the other bus and fell into a 300-foot-deep ditch after a suicide bomber crashed his explosive-laden vehicle into the vehicle carrying the victims on the Karakoram Highway.
In the Port Qasim Power Plant attack, a convoy of a Chinese project was attacked near the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. The incident resulted in deaths and injuries of both Chinese and Pakistanis, among whom two Chinese were killed and one injured, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had reported.
Meanwhile, during a meeting between the Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari during the SCO summit, the Pakistan President expressed his condolences over the loss of two Chinese nationals in the Port Qasim Power Plant attack. the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) said in a press release.
"He (Zardari) emphasised that the enemies of the Pakistan-China friendship were trying to undermine bilateral relations by targeting Chinese nationals and attempting to disrupt CPEC projects, adding that such malicious efforts would not succeed. He reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to tracking down the perpetrators and ensuring they receive exemplary punishment. He assured the Chinese Premier that Pakistan would take all necessary measures to enhance the security of Chinese nationals working in the country," the release added.
