China on Wednesday asked for better security for its nationals in Pakistan, a day after a suicide bombing took place inside Karachi University, PTI reported.
The attack was premeditated and targeted Chinese citizens who were in Pakistan to promote cultural exchange, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin. He has demanded a thorough investigation into the explosion.
“It is an egregious and heinous attack,” Wang said during a media briefing, according to PTI. “China expresses strong condemnation and indignation…The Chinese government attaches great importance to the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions overseas.”
On being asked whether the incident would impact the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Wang said that the friendship between the two nations is “unbreakable”.
“Attempts to undermine our cooperation, mutual trust and CPEC will not succeed,” he said.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a group of infrastructure projects being built between China’s Xinjiang province and the Gwadar port in the Pakistani province of Balochistan. The corridor includes a network of railway tracks, roads, pipelines and optical cable fibres, as also energy-related projects.
The blast
At least four persons, including three Chinese nationals, were killed in a suicide bombing inside the Pakistan’s University of Karachi on Tuesday.
The blast occurred outside the university’s Confucius Institute, a non-profit centre built by China to teach the Chinese language to locals.
The deceased were identified as Confucius Institute Director Huang Guiping, Ding Mupeng, Chen Sa and their Pakistani driver Khalid. Two persons – Wang Yuqing and Hamid – were injured in the incident.
The banned Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack. The group oppose Chinese investment in Pakistan, especially in the Balochistan region.
In a statement, the group said the blast was carried out by Shari Baloch and credited her as the first suicide bomber of the group.
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