BEIJING: China has strongly condemned Tuesday’s suicide attack on Chinese teachers in University of Karachi (UoK) and demanded of the Pakistani authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and “severely punish the perpetrators”.
“The Chinese side expresses strong condemnation and indignation over this major terrorist attack and extends deep condolences to the victims and sympathies to the injured and bereaved families,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The spokesperson said that the Chinese Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions in Pakistan had activated the emergency response mechanism immediately after the incident.
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Jianghao made an urgent phone call to the Pakistani Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque to express extremely grave concern.
He demanded that the Pakistani side should immediately make thorough investigation of the incident, apprehend and punish the perpetrators to the full extent of the law, and take all possible measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan and prevent such incidents from happening again.
“The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan and Consulate-General in Karachi are working with the Pakistani side to deal with the follow-up matters of the casualties,” the spokesperson added.
The spokesperson said that the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Chinese diplomatic missions in Pakistan would continue to urge relevant Pakistani departments to handle properly the follow-up matters of those killed, treat the injured, and resolutely crack down on the terrorist organization involved.
“The blood of the Chinese people should not be shed in vain, and those behind this incident will surely pay the price,” he added.
Terror attack
At least four people, including three Chinese nationals, were killed while four others were injured in a suicide attack outside the University of Karachi’s (KU) Confucius Institute.
The incident happened as a van, carrying staff members, was about to enter the Confucius Institute, located next to the commerce department.
CCTV footage of the attack showed a burqa-clad woman standing outside the entrance of the Confucius Institute. The woman detonated herself just as the van neared the institute’s entrance.
Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mushtaq Ahmed Mahar confirmed that four people had died. The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack.
A spokesperson for the university confirmed that three of the victims were Chinese nationals. They were identified as Confucius Institute Director Huang Guiping, Ding Mupeng and Chen Sai. The fourth victim was the van’s driver, Khalid.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan on the evening of April 26 to convey condolences, saying that the Pakistani government will conduct an in-depth probe into the incident, give exemplary punishment to the perpetrators, and strengthen security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan in an all-round way.
