Shooting in Pakistan's Karachi injures two Chinese nationals

Two Chinese nationals were shot at and injured on Tuesday in Pakistan's commercial hub of Karachi, police and hospital officials said, after a string of attacks that spurred Beijing to demand tougher security for its citizens.

The shooting occurred at a factory in Karachi’s SITE industrial area, after which the two injured Chinese citizens were rushed to Liaquat National Hospital.

Faizan Ali, a senior superintendent of police, said two Chinese nationals had been shot, but gave no further details.

A spokesperson for Liaquat National Hospital in the port city said it was treating the two, one of whom was in serious condition.

A police source told Nuktathat the shooting was not related to militant violence but was instead the result of a dispute between a security guard working at the factory and the Chinese nationals.

  

Reuters

Paramilitary soldiers and officials in plain clothes walk out of a factory where, according to police, two Chinese nationals were shot and injured, in Karachi, Pakistan November 5, 2024.

The source suggests it was a premeditated attack, and the suspect managed to flee the scene, raising concerns about the security of Chinese workers in these factories.

In response, the Sindh Police have begun assessing whether security guards assigned to protect Chinese citizens have any connections to proscribed organizations or prior criminal involvement.

Meanwhile, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar directed the authorities "to arrest the security guard involved" in protecting the Chinese nationals, according to a statement by his office.

He also ordered "an audit of all companies providing security to Chinese nationals and foreigners".

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Series of attacks

Ensuring the security of Chinese nationals has become a growing challenge for Pakistan. Beijing has urged Islamabad to roll out more stringent security measures for its citizens.

A member of the Airport Security Force ASF stands guard near the wreckage of vehicles after an explosion near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan October 6, 2024.Reuters

In October, a bombing near Karachi's international airport killed two Chinese engineers, in an attack claimed by separatist militant group the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA).

Earlier this year, in March, five Chinese engineers and a Pakistani driver lost their lives in an attack in northwestern Pakistan as they traveled to the Dasu Dam, the country's largest hydropower project.

Rescue workers and onlookers gather around a bus after it plunged into a ravine in Dasu on July 14.AFP

In 2022, three Chinese teachers and their Pakistani driver were killed when an explosion tore through their van at the University of Karachi.

Police officers and members of the investigation team gather near a passenger van, after a blast at the entrance of the Confucius Institute University of Karachi, Pakistan April 26, 2022.Reuters

Another blast in 2021 struck a bus in northern Pakistan, killing 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals.

Rare public rebuke

Following the incident, Ambassador Jiang Zaidong publicly expressed concern over the repeated targeting of Chinese workers in the country at a seminar in Islamabad last month, calling it “unacceptable”.

He urged Pakistan to intensify efforts to counter anti-China terrorist groups, referring to two deadly suicide bombings in March and October that resulted in the deaths of seven Chinese nationals, bringing the death toll of Chinese workers in Pakistan to 21 since the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a decade ago.

However, Zaidong’s rare public rebuke over recent attacks on Chinese nationals had appeared to catch Pakistani officials off guard.

Following the statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to securing Chinese citizens, who are considered “highly regarded guests and key contributors to Pakistan’s development.”

Following Jiang’s remarks, media reports suggested that the Chinese Ambassador had been summoned by the Foreign Office to clarify his statements. Unnamed diplomatic sources indicated that Pakistan had presented Jiang with a protest letter, urging restraint in public commentary on bilateral issues, as such remarks could “potentially affect bilateral relations.”

However, Foreign Office spokesperson Baloch dismissed these claims as “inaccurate”, clarifying, “The reports on some channels about the Chinese Ambassador being summoned for a demarche are incorrect.” She explained that Jiang’s visits to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were routine, adding, “We urge media outlets to avoid sensationalism and verify information before publishing stories that could harm our relationship with China.”