China, Pakistan in close contact over ‘fake marriage’ issue: FO

Chinese team visits Pakistan, holds meetings with law-enforcement officials

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office said on Saturday authorities concerned of Pakistan and China were in close contact over the issue, involving the Chinese nationals.

“The government of China had offered all possible cooperation on the issue, which was highly appreciated,” a Foreign Office statement said, referring to the reports of fake marriage scam, involving some Chinese nationals.

“Both sides are closely coordinating their efforts. In this context, a Chinese team visited Pakistan recently and held meetings with our law-enforcement officials,” it said. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistan Missions in China are closely monitoring the situation and extending all possible assistance to Pakistani citizens who may have any complaints on the subject,” it added.

“We have noted the statement by the Chinese Embassy referring to investigation by the Chinese Ministry of Public Security on the issue. According to this investigation, there is no forced prostitution or sale of human organs of Pakistani women who stay in China after marriage with Chinese nationals.”

Urging caution on the matter to avoid sensationalisation, the statement said that the foreign ministry and all the relevant departments of the government and the Chinese authorities concerned would continue to coordinate on the matter to address the grievances of the affected individuals, bring the culprits to justice, and ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.

The statement stressed that Pakistan and China were 'all-weather strategic cooperative partners'. “Friendship between the two countries enjoys strong public and institutional support in both countries. Both sides remain committed to strengthening this abiding friendship and strategic partnership in all dimensions,” it added.

The statement came as the Express News reported that at least 20 Pakistani girls, trapped in China after allegedly falling victim to fake marriages with Chinese men, were sent back to the country. The girls were sent back to Pakistan after receiving complaints, the report said, quoting sources in the Pakistan embassy in Beijing.

Recently, several reports emerged, pointing to Chinese men involved in fake marriages with Pakistani girls for trafficking them to China. Following the scandal, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) launched a crackdown against fake marriages and human trafficking operations by Chinese gangs. The FIA Lahore Zone-I busted a Chinese gang from Johar Town and arrested 11 Chinese nationals and their two Pakistani facilitators.

A Lahore court on Saturday extended the remand of the 11 Chinese nationals into the FIA custody for two days. The suspects were produced before Judge Mohammad Waqas after the expiry of their initial two-day remand. The judge sent two locals nominated in the case to jail on a two-day judicial remand.

During today's hearing, the Chinese nationals pleaded not guilty and said that they did nothing wrong. They said that they had come to Pakistan for business purposes. They said that the FIA taken them into illegal custody. On Friday, China said its ministry of public security had sent a task force to Pakistan to cooperate in the crackdown.