Two Chinese citizens were wounded Tuesday by a gunman who opened fire at a garment factory in Pakistan's commercial center of Karachi, the latest in a string of attacks that have prompted Beijing to demand more security for its citizens, UNN reports citing Reuters.
Details
Large police contingents were deployed at the factory in Karachi's industrial zone, and teams of forensic experts could be seen entering the cordoned-off premises.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility and no official confirmation of the details of the incident. Senior Police Superintendent Faizan Ali told Reuters that Chinese citizens were shot at, but did not give further details.
One police official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that the shooting was carried out by a security guard. The security guard has not yet been arrested and it is difficult to establish a motive for the shooting, the official said.
A representative of the Liaquat National Hospital in the southern port city said it was treating two victims, one of whom was in serious condition.
The attack followed other incidents, including an explosion near Karachi International Airport last month that killed two Chinese engineers, which was claimed by the separatist paramilitary group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
China has stepped up longstanding demands to improve the security of its citizens in Pakistan. Ambassador Jiang Zaidong said at a meeting in Islamabad last month that the rise in deadly attacks was unacceptable.
Pakistan's foreign ministry responded that Islamabad is fully committed to ensuring the security of Chinese citizens, projects and institutions. In a statement on October 31, it said that this commitment had been conveyed at the highest levels of the Chinese government.
Addendum
The decades-long insurgency in the southwestern province of Balochistan has led to frequent attacks on the government, the army, and Chinese interests. Militants say they want a larger share of regional resources.
The region is home to the Gwadar deep-water port, built by Beijing as part of a $65 billion investment in the China-Pakistan economic corridor as part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's One Belt, One Road initiative.