ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday asserted that the government would ensure that it gives “exemplary punishment” to the perpetrators of the Karachi University suicide attack, which claimed the lives of three Chinese teachers last month.
The foreign minister condemned the terrorist attack at a condolence reference held at the Foreign Office in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack.
“We fully condemn this cowardly act and we will never forgive the enemies of Pakistan-China all-weather strategic partnership. We will also not allow anyone to harm our iron-clad friendship,” the foreign minister added,
“The Chinese are our guests, their safety is our responsibility,” Bilawal pointed out. He also stated that Pakistani hospitality was renowned the world over, and no Pakistani can ever tolerate such an attack on their guests.
Bilawal pledged that authorities would do everything in their capacity to provide maximum security and ensure the safety of the Chinese in Pakistan.
“To the families of those who perished, our entire nation grieves with you. While we cannot bring back the departed, we will not rest until we have given exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of this heinous act,” he vowed.
In the last decade, Pakistanis saw that citizens were targeted using religion, he said, iterating that Baloch rights were used as an “excuse” for carrying out the terror attack at the university.
“These people left their homes to come here and educate our people. This attack happened not only on those individuals but on Pakistan-China friendship as well. Now, it is the responsibility of every Pakistani to proceed on this issue as if it was an attack on our own brothers and sisters,” he added.
The foreign minister also noted the contributions of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari in establishing this friendship.
The attack
On April 26, a woman, later identified as Shari Baloch, detonated herself as a van carrying staff members was about to enter the Confucius Institute at the Karachi University.
A spokesperson for the university had identified three of the deceased as Chinese nationals — Confucius Institute Director Huang Guiping, Ding Mupeng and Chen Sai. The fourth victim was the van’s driver, Khalid.
Another four people were injured in the attack. The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) had claimed responsibility. The Karachi University attack was the third terrorist attack on Chinese citizens on Pakistani soil in a year.
