Pakistan on Thursday expressed “surprise” at recent comments from the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, who raised concerns over security following two attacks on Chinese nationals in the country.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Ambassador Jiang’s statement “does not reflect Islamabad and Beijing’s diplomatic tradition.”
“Islamabad is fully aware of Beijing’s concerns over attacks on Chinese nationals, and the Pakistani government has shared investigation findings with China,” She told reporters in Islamabad.
On Tuesday, Ambassador Jiang described the attacks as “unacceptable” and urged Pakistan to crack down on all anti-China militant groups. Such direct comments from foreign diplomats are unusual, particularly between China and Pakistan, which share close strategic ties.
Speaking at a seminar titled “China at 75,” Jiang said that security remains the greatest challenge for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “Without a safe and sound environment, nothing can be achieved,” he said.
“It is unacceptable for us to be attacked twice in six months, and these attacks have also caused casualties,” Jiang said. He expressed hope that Pakistan would take further steps to protect Chinese personnel, institutions, and projects.
“Pakistan should severely punish the perpetrators and crack down on all anti-China militant groups,” Jiang said during his speech, marking an unusual public intervention. “Security is the biggest concern for China and a constraint to CPEC in Pakistan.”
The public exchanges between Pakistan and China come after the Majeed Brigade of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for a suicide attack near Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport in early October. The attack targeted a convoy of Chinese officials, reportedly causing casualties among Chinese engineers and investors.
The BLA said that they used a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) specifically to target Chinese citizens. The organization claimed to have killed several Chinese engineers and investors, injured more than a dozen, and caused fatalities among Pakistani security personnel tasked with protecting the delegation.
China and Pakistan have long maintained strong ties, often describing their relationship as “iron brother” relations. It is unprecedented for Pakistan to respond publicly to China’s criticism, and it is extremely rare for the Chinese ambassador to admonish Islamabad over alleged security lapses affecting Chinese engineers and workers.
Analysts say China’s call for stronger action reflects growing frustration with Pakistan’s handling of security for Chinese nationals. Observers caution that further attacks on Chinese nationals could severely strain relations between the two allies.