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| Chinese Presence in Pakistan Is Targeted in Strike on Consulate in Karachi | Chinese Presence in Pakistan Is Targeted in Strike on Consulate in Karachi |
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| KARACHI, Pakistan — Pakistani security forces stopped an attempted terrorist attack on the Chinese Consulate in the city of Karachi on Friday morning, officials said, after an extended gun battle outside a security checkpoint. | KARACHI, Pakistan — Pakistani security forces stopped an attempted terrorist attack on the Chinese Consulate in the city of Karachi on Friday morning, officials said, after an extended gun battle outside a security checkpoint. |
| Officials said that all three attackers were killed, and that two police officers were dead. On the street, the police checkpoint could be seen pocked with bullet marks and at least two cars had been burned out. But officials said that no civilians, Chinese or Pakistani, had been hurt or killed. | Officials said that all three attackers were killed, and that two police officers were dead. On the street, the police checkpoint could be seen pocked with bullet marks and at least two cars had been burned out. But officials said that no civilians, Chinese or Pakistani, had been hurt or killed. |
| A Twitter account associated with the Baluchistan Liberation Army, a separatist group in the sprawling and violent province of Baluchistan, said that three of its members had “embraced martyrdom” in an attack on the Chinese Consulate. The account was later suspended. | A Twitter account associated with the Baluchistan Liberation Army, a separatist group in the sprawling and violent province of Baluchistan, said that three of its members had “embraced martyrdom” in an attack on the Chinese Consulate. The account was later suspended. |
| The attack was the deadliest strike against Chinese interests in Pakistan, which has been a showcase for China’s huge international development program, the Belt and Road Initiative, in recent years. | The attack was the deadliest strike against Chinese interests in Pakistan, which has been a showcase for China’s huge international development program, the Belt and Road Initiative, in recent years. |
| China is estimated to have spent some $62 billion on those projects in Pakistan, mostly to build a transportation corridor through Baluchistan to a new, Chinese-operated deepwater port in the Pakistani town of Gwadar. | China is estimated to have spent some $62 billion on those projects in Pakistan, mostly to build a transportation corridor through Baluchistan to a new, Chinese-operated deepwater port in the Pakistani town of Gwadar. |
| The road corridor being built through Baluchistan, which is also rich in natural resources, is one of the most strategic projects associated with the Belt and Road Initiative. Its stated purpose is to greatly reduce shipping costs and time for Chinese goods, but it would also give China an important alternative if faced with naval blockades by the United States or its Asian allies. | |
| Baluchistan has also been the center of two resilient insurgencies, making it one of the most sensitive areas for Pakistan’s powerful military establishment: Ethnic Baluch separatists there have been pursued by a stifling Pakistani security presence, and part of the leadership of the Afghan Taliban also continues to take shelter there, in the city of Quetta. | Baluchistan has also been the center of two resilient insurgencies, making it one of the most sensitive areas for Pakistan’s powerful military establishment: Ethnic Baluch separatists there have been pursued by a stifling Pakistani security presence, and part of the leadership of the Afghan Taliban also continues to take shelter there, in the city of Quetta. |
| In a video sent to an Indian news service in March, Aslam Baloch, a senior commander of the Baluchistan Liberation Army, accused China and Pakistan of plundering resources in Baluchistan, which his group wants to turn into an independent state. And after the consulate attack, Reuters quoted a spokesman for the group as accusing China of “exploiting our resources.” | In a video sent to an Indian news service in March, Aslam Baloch, a senior commander of the Baluchistan Liberation Army, accused China and Pakistan of plundering resources in Baluchistan, which his group wants to turn into an independent state. And after the consulate attack, Reuters quoted a spokesman for the group as accusing China of “exploiting our resources.” |
| In the attack on Friday, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told Pakistan’s National Assembly that the first attacker detonated an explosive vest while the other two opened fire and tried to rush toward the consular section where visas are issued. | In the attack on Friday, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told Pakistan’s National Assembly that the first attacker detonated an explosive vest while the other two opened fire and tried to rush toward the consular section where visas are issued. |
| Police officials said that at least one suicide vest had been recovered, and bomb squad members were on the scene to dispose of the undetonated explosives. One wounded police officer was taken to a hospital near the site of the attack. | Police officials said that at least one suicide vest had been recovered, and bomb squad members were on the scene to dispose of the undetonated explosives. One wounded police officer was taken to a hospital near the site of the attack. |
| Geng Shuang, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, confirmed that three gunmen had attempted to enter the consulate on Friday. “All Chinese staff and families are safe,” he said at a news conference in Beijing on Friday. He added that China had asked Pakistan to “take measures to ensure the safety” of Chinese citizens. | Geng Shuang, spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry, confirmed that three gunmen had attempted to enter the consulate on Friday. “All Chinese staff and families are safe,” he said at a news conference in Beijing on Friday. He added that China had asked Pakistan to “take measures to ensure the safety” of Chinese citizens. |
| Karachi, home to 15 million people, is Pakistan’s largest city and its economic powerhouse. The neighborhood where the attack on Friday happened, near the Arabian Sea, is mostly residential and upscale, including many homes and restaurants. | Karachi, home to 15 million people, is Pakistan’s largest city and its economic powerhouse. The neighborhood where the attack on Friday happened, near the Arabian Sea, is mostly residential and upscale, including many homes and restaurants. |
| The gunfire could be heard from several miles away, and witnesses on social media posted photos of smoke rising into the air. Schools in the area were placed on lockdown. | The gunfire could be heard from several miles away, and witnesses on social media posted photos of smoke rising into the air. Schools in the area were placed on lockdown. |
| Pakistan has tightened its economic ties to China in recent years, with Beijing recently giving Pakistan a $2 billion loan to help shore up its finances, money that followed $1 billion that was given by Chinese banks in April. But even that substantial aid is far outstripped by the scale of Belt and Road spending in Pakistan. | Pakistan has tightened its economic ties to China in recent years, with Beijing recently giving Pakistan a $2 billion loan to help shore up its finances, money that followed $1 billion that was given by Chinese banks in April. But even that substantial aid is far outstripped by the scale of Belt and Road spending in Pakistan. |
| The investment in Pakistan led to an increase in Chinese citizens in the country, and concern grew for the foreigners’ safety. In 2017, two Chinese citizens were abducted and killed in Quetta, in Baluchistan. The Islamic State claimed credit for that attack. | The investment in Pakistan led to an increase in Chinese citizens in the country, and concern grew for the foreigners’ safety. In 2017, two Chinese citizens were abducted and killed in Quetta, in Baluchistan. The Islamic State claimed credit for that attack. |
| The Baluchistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for an attack in August on a bus carrying Chinese mining workers in southwestern Pakistan near the country’s borders with Afghanistan and Iran. The suicide bomber died and the workers were slightly injured. | The Baluchistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for an attack in August on a bus carrying Chinese mining workers in southwestern Pakistan near the country’s borders with Afghanistan and Iran. The suicide bomber died and the workers were slightly injured. |
| China is also starting to come under scrutiny from some public figures in Pakistan, including over its treatment of ethnic Uighur Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region. | China is also starting to come under scrutiny from some public figures in Pakistan, including over its treatment of ethnic Uighur Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region. |
| “A big international conspiracy has been foiled by prompt security action,” Faisal Vawda, a federal minister, told reporters in Karachi on Friday. “This was an attempt to sabotage our relations with China.” | “A big international conspiracy has been foiled by prompt security action,” Faisal Vawda, a federal minister, told reporters in Karachi on Friday. “This was an attempt to sabotage our relations with China.” |