China has reaffirmed its commitment to work closely with Pakistan to ensure the safety and security of its personnel and projects, following the recent killing of two Chinese engineers in a suicide attack claimed by the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, during a press briefing on Thursday, stated that while she was unaware of reports suggesting Pakistan had imposed movement restrictions on Chinese nationals due to security concerns ahead of next week’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, China remained dedicated to enhancing security cooperation with Pakistan.
This follows reports, citing three security officials and an internal security note, indicating that Pakistani authorities had decided to restrict the movements of Chinese citizens to mitigate potential threats from militant groups. The decision is said to be linked to increased risks to Chinese nationals in the region.
Earlier this week, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan confirmed the deaths of two Chinese nationals and injuries to another, in addition to several local casualties, in the attack near the Civil Aviation Authority guard room at the Karachi airport. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the Chinese Embassy, offering condolences to Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong and vowing swift justice.
Authorities have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against BLA leaders,
