Naqvi meets Chinese envoy amid firing on China nationals in Karachi; Joint security strategy agreed
Special Correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reassured China of Pakistan’s commitment to the safety of its citizens and projects after a recent shooting incident involving two Chinese workers in Karachi. Naqvi made these remarks during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zedong, who voiced concerns regarding the security of Chinese nationals. The incident, occurring at Liberty Textile Mills in the SITE Industrial Area, involved a security guard who opened fire on two Chinese employees before fleeing the scene.
Both victims received immediate medical attention, and police have filed terrorism charges against the absconding guard, who had been employed at the mill for approximately five months. Minister Naqvi conveyed Pakistan’s solidarity with the injured families, promising a rigorous investigation. The two officials agreed to strengthen security protocols and develop a joint strategy to prevent similar events in the future.
Minister Naqvi highlighted ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals working on CPEC projects, affirming the strong “iron brotherhood” between Pakistan and China. Ambassador Jiang also commended the security measures taken during the Chinese Prime Minister’s recent visit to Pakistan.
NNI adds: Meanwhile, Pakistan and China agreed on Thursday to develop a joint security strategy, following an incident where two Chinese nationals suffered gunshot wounds in an attack by a security guard at a factory in Karachi, an official statement said.
The understanding came when Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong to discuss the situation and Pakistan’s response to the rising security risks faced by Chinese nationals.
“We fully agree with China’s vision of integrating development and security,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office after the meeting.
“The safety and security of Chinese citizens working on different projects in the country, including those related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was a top priority for the government of Pakistan and all those involved in acts of terrorism against the neighbouring country’s citizens would be brought to justice,” said the Interior Minister.
The minister expressed his shock over the incident in which two Chinese were injured due to firing by a guard in Karachi. He expressed his sympathies with the families of those injured and informed the envoy of the progress made in an investigation into the incident so far. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Pakistan and China, he went on to say, are time-tested friends. “The government is taking steps to increase the security of the Chinese nationals so that they could work in a safe and secure environment,” Naqvi said.
The interior ministry statement informed that the two officials “agreed to develop a joint strategy to prevent such incidents in the future.”
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Jiang also underscored the need for a stable environment for ongoing bilateral cooperation and expressed his country’s readiness to strengthen bilateral security ties.
“China is ready to enhance bilateral security cooperation and build the capacities of Pakistani institutions,” he said.
The envoy said that due to joint efforts Pakistan- China friendship was strengthening by the day.
“China is ready to increase cooperation between the two countries in security and enhance the capacity of Pakistan’s law-enforcement agencies,” the Ambassador said.
The Ambassador thanked the Interior Minister for the excellent arrangements during the Chinese Premier’s recent visit to Pakistan.
He also inquired about President Asif Ali Zardari’s health and extended good wishes for his speedy recovery. The Ambassador also said that Chinese President Xi Jinping has written a letter to President Asif Ali Zardari, expressing good wishes for his health.
Secretary Interior and senior officials of the Chinese embassy were also present at the meeting.
Attacks on Chinese nationals have put the bilateral relations between both states under increasing stress, with the Chinese envoy previously calling such incidents “unacceptable” publicly.
Thousands of Chinese nationals work in Pakistan, primarily as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), multibillion-dollar energy, infrastructure development and regional connectivity initiative.
Chinese workers have increasingly come under attack in Pakistan in recent years, with notable incidents including a suicide bombing in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that killed five Chinese engineers in March 2024 and an October blast near Karachi’s airport that left two other Chinese nationals dead.
The latest shooting occurred earlier this week, when a Pakistani security guard opened fire at a factory in Karachi, wounding two Chinese employees.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally visited the Chinese embassy in Islamabad on Wednesday to offer sympathies to the families of the Chinese who got injured in the recent shooting incident.
