Ishaq Dar – ThePrint – – Agathequelquejay

Islamabad, Oct 30 (PTI) The Pakistani government will leave no stone unturned to protect the lives and properties of Chinese nationals living in the country, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said, highlighting how authorities have arrested most of the attackers involved in the recent attacks on Chinese workers.

Dar’s remarks came on Tuesday during the Pakistan-China Institute’s conference titled “China at 75: A Journey Toward Progress, Transformation and Global Leadership.”

Without divulging details, Dar, who is also the foreign minister, confirmed that authorities had detained a number of suspects suspected of being involved in the recent incidents, the Dawn newspaper reported.

“Most of the attackers have been arrested,” he revealed. “We will leave no stone unturned to protect the lives and properties of Chinese people in Pakistan. The suspects will be brought to justice after due process and further details will be provided directly to President Xi Jinping during President Zardari’s visit to China next month,” Dar said.

Earlier this month, a suicide attack near Karachi airport claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) killed two Chinese nationals and injured 10 others.

Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, speaking on the occasion, expressed Beijing’s concern about these threats and called for further action to protect Chinese citizens and investments.

“The security of Chinese citizens is of the utmost importance to President Xi,” Jiang said, adding that President Xi has repeatedly emphasized this in his meetings with Pakistani leaders.

Thousands of Chinese personnel are working in Pakistan on several projects under the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The BLA accuses China and Islamabad of exploiting the resource-rich province, an accusation the authorities reject. She fought against the long-term uprising for a separate homeland.

Over the past two years, the group carried out similar suicide bomb attacks in Karachi, targeting foreigners.

The BLA claimed responsibility in March this year for an attack on a Pakistani naval air base near the Chinese-controlled port of Gwadar.

In April 2022, the group killed three Chinese teachers and a Pakistani driver in a suicide bombing near the Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi.

In November 2018, attackers killed at least four people in an attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi.

Highlighting Pakistan’s determination in the fight against terrorism, Dar highlighted the Azm-i-Istehkam government’s recent counter-terrorism operation as a step towards restoring stability. He noted that while Pakistan faces minimal external military threats, “hostile forces” seek to weaken it economically.

The China-Pakistan strategic alliance, anchored by CPEC, remains strong, Dar stressed, adding that Pakistan’s security forces are fully committed to safeguarding this partnership as it expands into critical economic sectors. PTI SH NSA NSA

This report is auto-generated from PTI news website. ThePrint is not responsible for its content.