China not to withdraw experts from Pakistan: Beijing seeks protection of nationals
BEIJING, Feb 16: China has announced that it will not evacuate engineers and technicians from Pakistan after three Chinese engineers were shot dead in Balochistan on Wednesday.
“I don’t think all Chinese people in Pakistan should leave the country because of the incident,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang at a routine press conference here on Thursday.
However, he advised Chinese people to take effective measures to protect themselves. “We have consulted Pakistan on the issue and they are dealing with the aftermath urgently,” Mr Qin added.—Agencies
Qudssia Akhlaque adds from Islamabad: Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing telephoned Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Wednesday night and expressed concern about the killing of Chinese engineers in Hub and security of other Chinese nationals working in Pakistan.
According to a Chinese sources about 2,000 Chinese nationals are currently working on various projects in Pakistan.
Mr Kasuri conveyed to his Chinese counterpart deep sorrow and grief over the tragic killing of the engineers and assured him that immediate measures would be taken to strengthen the security of all Chinese nationals in Pakistan.
He told him that full cooperation would be extended to the Chinese government regarding the repatriation of the bodies and investigation.
Mr Kasuri assured the Chinese Foreign Minister that those responsible for the crime would be brought to justice.
“Law-enforcement agencies are taking all measures to apprehend the culprits,” he said.
On Thursday morning, Mr Kasuri went to the Chinese embassy and offered his condolences to the ambassador. The Chinese ambassador who was present at the banquet hosted by President Pervez Musharraf for Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Wednesday evening was offered condolences by several cabinet members present on the occasion.
BODIES OF ENGINEERS: Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told Dawn on Thursday that the bodies of the Chinese engineers would be flown back to China on Friday aboard a special aircraft. Minister of State for Interior Waseem Shehzad would accompany the bodies, she said.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that some officials from the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Asia Division are scheduled to arrive in Karachi on Thursday night.
Amanullah Kasi adds from Quetta: Chief Minister Jam Muhammad Yousuf has said that Pakistan and China have cordial and close relations and saboteurs will not succeed in harming these brotherly ties.
An official statement issued here on Thursday said that Jam Muhammad Yousuf and Chief Secretary K.B. Rind visited the Chinese consulate in Karachi and expressed sympathy with Consul General Sun Chunye over the killing of three Chinese engineers in Hub.
BEIJING, Feb 16: China has announced that it will not evacuate engineers and technicians from Pakistan after three Chinese engineers were shot dead in Balochistan on Wednesday.
