China said on Thursday it would work with Pakistan to protect the safety and security of Chinese personnel and projects and institutions in Pakistan, following the killing of two Chinese engineers.

Mao Ning, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, said she was not aware of reports that Pakistani authorities were seeking to curb the movements of Chinese citizens during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting next week because of a security risk from militant groups targeting them.

Ning said this amid reports, citing three security officials and an internal security note, that Pakistani authorities had taken that decision.

In a statement on Monday, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan confirmed that two of its nationals had died and another was injured, along with “some local casualties”.

Prime Minister Shehbaz visited the Chinese Embassy to meet with Ambassador Jiang Zaidong and extended his condolences over the attack, while on Wednesday, police registered an FIR against leaders of the BLA.

The police believe the banned outfit, allegedly with the assistance of a hostile foreign intelligence agency, aimed to sabotage Pakistan-China relations by targeting Chinese nationals, among other objectives.

The FIR was lodged by SHO Moosa Kaleem Khan of the Airport Police Station at the Counter-Terrorism Department.

Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, and other officials participated in a solemn ceremony at the Old Terminal of Karachi airport to repatriate the bodies of two Chinese engineers back to China.

During the event, a minute of silence was observed to honour the deceased. Both the governor and the chief minister expressed their condolences to the families of the victims and to the Chinese government.

President Asif Ali Zardari visited the Chinese Embassy to extend condolences on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan following the killing of Chinese citizens.

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In a strong condemnation of the terrorist attack, the president reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to bringing the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice. He emphasized Pakistan’s solidarity with the Chinese people, as stated in an official release from the President’s House.

In a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, President Asif Ali Zardari highlighted the significant contributions of the Chinese government and people to Pakistan’s socio-economic development. He noted that adversaries of both nations seek to undermine the growing bilateral partnership.

Zardari condemned the cowardly acts of hostile elements, asserting that such attacks would not weaken the enduring friendship between the two countries. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Chinese nationals living in Pakistan.