Attack on foreigner

The deaths of Jiang Hua and her Pakistani associate, are at best suspicious, and must be investigated.

The murder of a Chinese woman and a Pakistani man in Peshawar on February 28, should remind Pakistan that even the strongest ties between nations must be tended to with great attention. Pakistan’s relationship with China has kept the country afloat in many a difficult time, but this does not mean that China turns a blind eye to Pakistan’s internal turmoil: the problem of militancy and the rise of religious extremism are issues that China takes very seriously. Pakistan must respect this concern if the country’s vital link to its neighbour is to be maintained.

The deaths of Jiang Hua and her Pakistani associate Mohammad Suliman Shams, are at best suspicious, and must be investigated. Targeted with deliberation in a busy bazaar, Jiang appears to be the victim of more than just a casual assault or robbery. Though Jiang was on what seems to be a tour of the region, the nature of her stay in Pakistan must be determined. That the attack could have had links to extremist movements in China should not be ignored. China’s immediate call for a probe and a renewed effort to ensure the safety of its citizens in Pakistan should not be taken as a cursory response either. The Chinese government has a large stake in the stability of Pakistan’s northern regions, because surges in extremism in Pakistan have spilled over into China’s Xinjiang region in recent years. An attack in Xinjiang’s Kashgar city in August 2011, was said by Chinese officials to have been supported by the separatist East Turkestan Islamic Movement, allegedly from camps in Pakistan.

This attack will be seen internationally as an example of Pakistan’s inability to keep its citizens and its guests safe. At a loss for an explanation for the attack, investigators have preemptively claimed that this was an attempt to harm Pakistan’s relationship with China. While such simplistic deduction has little place in a murder investigation, one should be in little doubt that continued harm to Chinese citizens or China’s interests will not bode well for Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2012.