ISLAMABAD: China’s confidence in Pakistan’s ability to provide security to its nationals has been “seriously shaken” after a recent suicide bombing in Karachi that claimed the lives of four people, said a local newspaper on Sunday while quoting the top official of the Senate Defense Committee.
Three Chinese citizens and their Pakistani driver were killed last month when a female suicide bomber detonated herself near a Chinese language learning center at the University of Karachi.
The attack was claimed by the separatist Baloch Liberation Army, as security forces said the attacker had specifically targeted the Chinese workers.
“The Chinese confidence in Pakistan’s security system’s ability to protect their citizens and their projects is seriously shaken,” Senator Mushahid Hussain, who led a delegation of lawmakers to the Chinese embassy soon after the bombing, told Dawn newspaper.
“It has caused serious concern and understandable indignation in China. More so, the pattern of attacks is so recurring and it’s clear that Pakistani promises of ‘foolproof security’ are mere words, not matched by countermeasures on the ground,” he added.
Chinese workers in Pakistan have also been targeted by militant groups in the past.
In July 2021, 10 Chinese nationals were killed after an explosion on their bus in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
Chinese nationals have also been attacked by separatists in Balochistan, where Beijing is involved in huge infrastructure projects as part of its Belt and Road Initiative.
“If such attacks continue, not just Chinese but other foreign investors will be forced to review their role in Pakistan,” Hussain said.
While Chinese officials have condemned attacks against its nationals and urged Pakistani authorities to bring their perpetrators to justice, they have also acknowledged that Pakistanis from all walks of life have criticized such incidents.
“Pakistani people from all sectors also condemned the terrorist attack and mourned for the victims,” China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Friday. “This further demonstrates that the China-Pakistan all-weather friendship is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and is the consensus of the ruling party as well as the opposition.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also visited the Chinese embassy in Pakistan following the attack in Karachi to express their condolences.
Pakistan’s top Senate Defense Committee official says Chinese confidence ‘shaken’ after Karachi attack
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Pakistan’s top Senate Defense Committee official says Chinese confidence ‘shaken’ after Karachi attack
- Senator Mushahid Hussain says China skeptical of security arrangements for its nationals in Pakistan
- Hussain maintains such attacks can also force other foreign investors to review their role in the country
Pakistan condemns Netanyahu’s ‘hexagon of alliances’ plan, says alert to growing India-Israel defense ties
- Israel’s Netanyahu last week proposed an alliance of countries in and around Middle East against its adversaries
- Pakistan maintains “robust military preparedness” to deter any potential aggression, says foreign office spokesperson
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson on Thursday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent statement about forming a “hexagon of alliances” within or around the Middle East, saying Islamabad was alert to growing defense ties between New Delhi and Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu on Sunday outlined plans to form a new regional bloc, describing it as a “hexagon of alliances” that he said could include Israel, India, Greece and Cyprus, along with other unnamed Arab, African and Asian states. He said the grouping would collectively stand against what he described as “radical” adversaries.
His comments came days before Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Wednesday for a two-day trip to bolster ties. The two are expected to discuss cooperation in science and technology, innovation, agriculture, water management, technology, defense and security during the trip.
The statement drew a sharp response from Pakistan’s Senate, which unanimously passed a resolution on Tuesday rejecting Netanyahu’s remarks.
“I would also like to draw your attention to the recent resolution adopted by the Senate of Pakistan that strongly condemned such remarks and attempts to undermine Muslim unity,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters during a weekly press briefing.
“We continue to condemn these provocative steps and statements by the leadership of the occupying power that threaten regional peace and stability,” he added.
Netanyahu had also said Israel’s goal was to create an axis of nations that see eye to eye against what he described as the “radical Shia” and “radical Sunni” axis of nations.
Andrabi said attempts to divide the Muslim world along sectarian lines were a “nefarious design” on Netanyahu’s part.
India is Israel’s largest arms buyer and second-largest trading partner in Asia, after China. In response to a question on India’s growing defense ties with Israel, Andrabi said Pakistan remained cognizant of the risks posed by such cooperation.
“Yes, we remain seized of the defense ties between Israel and India,” the spokesperson said, noting that certain “systems and platforms” may have been used by India against Pakistan in the past.
“We are alive to the threats they pose to our security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as to regional peace and stability.”
Andrabi said Pakistan maintained “robust military preparedness” to deter any potential aggression from hostile forces.
‘UTMOST CAUTION EXERCISED’
Andrabi spoke about Pakistan’s recent strikes against alleged militant camps in Afghanistan, saying Islamabad had conducted them in self-defense and with extreme caution to avoid casualties.
Pakistan said it carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan against militant camps and hideouts in three provinces on Saturday night, killing over 100 militants. Afghanistan accused Pakistan of violating its territorial sovereignty and killing dozens of civilians. Kabul has vowed to retaliate.
Andrabi said the strikes were carried out to ensure protection for the lives of the people of Pakistan and to prevent “imminent terrorist attacks.”
“These actions were directed solely against identified terrorist camps and hideouts, and utmost caution was exercised to prevent harm to civilians,” he said.
He warned Pakistan would take necessary measures under its right to self-defense against “terrorist threats” emanating from Afghan territory.
On the safety of Pakistani nationals in Afghanistan following the strikes, Andrabi said Islamabad had raised the issue with Afghan authorities, adding that Islamabad expected “foolproof security” for Pakistani diplomats and civilians.
