ISLAMABAD: The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan “strongly condemned” a suicide attack targeting a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals in Balochistan’s Gwadar district, asking Pakistan to ‘severely punish’ the perpetrators involved in the ‘act of terrorism’.
“The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan launched the emergency plan immediately, demanding Pakistan to properly treat the wounded, conduct a thorough investigation on the attack, and severely punish the perpetrators,” said the statement issued today (Saturday).
The statement further said that all relevant departments at ‘all levels’ in Pakistan must take ‘practical and effective measures’ to implement strengthened security measures.
“At the same time, relevant departments at all levels in Pakistan must take practical and effective measures to accelerate to implement strengthened whole-process security measures and upgraded security cooperation mechanism to ensure that similar incidents will not happen again,” it added.
The mission further extended its sincere sympathies to the injured of both countries and expressed its deep condolences to the innocent victims in Pakistan. The statement further added that the security situation in Pakistan has been severe.
“There have been several terrorist attacks in succession, resulting in the casualties of several Chinese citizens. The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan reminds the Chinese citizens in Pakistan to be vigilant, strengthen safety precautions, reduce unnecessary outings, and take effective security protections,” the statement concluded.
Two children were killed while three others, including a Chinese national, were injured in a suicide attack targeting a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals near the East Bay Expressway in Gwadar, Balochistan earlier on Friday.
This was the second attack on Chinese nationals in the country, a month after the Dasu dam site incident in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, which left at least 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals and four Pakistanis dead.
China is heavily involved in the development of the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea as part of the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is itself part of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure project.
