Gwadar sucide attack: China asks Pakistan to take to practical and effective measures

Following the Gawadat suicide attack, China has pressed Pakistan to take practical and effective measures.

At least two children were killed and three people were injured including a Chinese national when a suicide bomber blew himself near the vehicle at around 7 pm on Friday.

In a statement issued after the attack, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan on Saturday “strongly condemned” a suicide attack targeting a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals in Balochistan’s Gwadar district on Friday and demanded Pakistan to properly treat the wounded and “conduct a thorough investigation on the attack, and severely punish the perpetrators.”

“The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan strongly condemns this act of terrorism, extends its sincere sympathies to the injured of both countries, and expresses its deep condolences to the innocent victims in Pakistan,” it said.

“At the same time, relevant departments at all levels in Pakistan must take practical and effective measures to accelerate to implement strengthened whole-process security measures and upgraded security cooperation mechanism to ensure that similar incidents will not happen again,” the embassy said.

The embassy has asked the Chinese citizens in Pakistan to be “vigilant, strengthen safety precautions, reduce unnecessary outings, and take effective security protections.”

Balochistan government spokesperson Liaquat Shahwani on Friday had confirmed it was a suicide attack.

Banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Majeed Brigade later in the day claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to an Interior Ministry statement, a convoy comprising four vehicles carrying Chinese nationals “with integral security details of Pakistan army and police contingent” was targeted on East Bay Expressway near fishermen’s colony.

It is pertinent to mention that China is involved in the development of the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea as part of the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is itself part of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure project.