Pak seals off Chinese businesses over fear of terror attack

The Karachi police has resorted to temporarily shutting some businesses run by Chinese nationals in the city in a bid to prevent terror attacks.

The development is seen as an embarrassment for all weather-friends China and Pakistan. Reports say that the businesses were shut off to prevent terror attacks, which could compromise the strategic relations between the two countries, a Nikkei Asia report said.

A month back, China had temporarily closed the consular section of its embassy in Islamabad days after advising Chinese nationals to remain cautious in the wake of a worsening security situation in Pakistan.

However it does not appear that Pakistan has been able to do much to safeguard the lives of Chinese nationals living in Pakistan. Terror groups operating in Pakistan continue to target Chinese nationals and projects connected to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Project.

Many Pakistan nationals have become suspicious of the Chinese as they believe that their land is being encroached under the guise of enhancing their economic situation. To be sure, Pakistan's economy is in a mess.

Beijing on the other hand is dissatisfied with the existing security arrangements and has raised concerns on repeated occasions with Islamabad. In January Foreign Minister, Qin Gang had told his Pakistan counterpart, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that the Chinese side is highly concerned about the safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan and hoped that the Pakistani side will continue to take strong security measures.

Reports said that the decision taken by the Karachi police to seal off some Chinese businesses was based on an intelligence report, which indicated the possibility of terror attacks.

"Despite repeated warnings, several Chinese-owned businesses failed to implement security protocols, leading to their sealing until satisfactory security arrangements are made," the Nikkei Asia report said.

Among the businesses closed are a Chinese restaurant, a supermarket, one marine product company, for non-compliance with standard security protocols outlined in the Sindh Security of Vulnerable Establishments Act, a law that mandates security arrangements for targeted locations, a report in the Sindhi Laws said.

Karachi has reported the maximum number of attacks on Chinese nationals. IN 2022, a major terror attack on the Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi, claimed the lives of three Chinese nationals and one Pakistani driver. There was also an attack on a building that houses the stock exchange in June 2020, which is partly owned by a Chinese consortium. An attack the Chinese consulate in Karachi had been reported in 2018.