KARACHI:
At least one Chinese national was wounded in a gun attack in Karachi on Wednesday, police said, in the latest assault targeting Chinese citizens in the country.
Local police said two masked assailants riding on a motorbike fired at a car carrying two Chinese nationals, who were working at a nearby factory in the city.
One of the passengers sustained an injury to his arm in that attack.
"He is stable as fortunately he was not hit on any vital part of his body," Javed Akbar Riaz, the police chief of district South, told AFP.
Read more: ‘Traces of explosives’ found in Dasu bus tragedy probe
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian also confirmed the incident.
"China is following this matter closely and the relevant case is still under investigation," said Zhao.
"This incident is an isolated case. We are fully confident that the Pakistani side will ensure the safety of Chinese nationals and assets in Pakistan," he added.
The shooting comes just weeks after nine Chinese nationals were killed in the remote Kohistan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province when their bus carrying a team of engineers, surveyors and mechanical staff to a nearby dam site was targeted in a bombing.
Construction on a Dasu hydropower project is currently underway under the supervision of CPEC’s Chinese experts.
The security of Chinese workers has long been an issue of concern in Pakistan. Large numbers of them are based in the country to supervise and build infrastructure projects.
On July 15, China asked Pakistan to "lose no time" in conducting a thorough investigation into the tragic incident.
Also read: Bodies of Chinese engineers killed in Dasu incident to be handed over
"We have asked the Pakistani side to lose no time in conducting a thorough investigation, properly transfer and treat the wounded, strengthen security measures, eliminate security risks, and ensure the safety and security of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects in Pakistan," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said during a media briefing.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi stated that Pakistan would “thoroughly investigate the truth of the incident, [and] lose no time in sharing the progress of the investigation with China”.
No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Islamabad is Beijing's closest regional ally, with China pouring billions of dollars into Pakistan in recent years to boost the nation's infrastructure.
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