Interior minister, CM carry out ‘security audit’ of key institutions

KARACHI: Against the backdrop of deadly suicide attack on Chinese nationals at Karachi University the previous day, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Wednesday sat with provincial heads of top security agencies and Chinese diplomats to carry out a ‘security audit’ of the key institutions where foreigners work, especially Chinese citizens.

The important meeting took place at the Chief Minister House and was also attended by the law adviser, chief secretary, inspector general of police, director general of Rangers, additional inspectors general of Karachi, and officials of the Special Branch, Counter-Terrorism Department, and others.

Acting Ambassador of China Ms Pang Chunxue and Consul General Mr Li Bijian were also present.

The participants of the meeting were given a detailed briefing on the suicide bomber, a woman hailing from Turbat, Balochistan. Her profile and details of her telephone calls were shared with the participants of the meeting.

The Chinese diplomats were informed that there are two types of Chinese nationals who live in the province, those who work for the projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and those who don’t work for such projects.

The details of the Chinese citizens who work for CPEC-related projects are very much available with the provincial and national agencies but the complete data of those who are engaged in non-CPEC projects is not available.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shah and Interior Minister Sanaullah held a news conference at which they said the federal government would extend all-out support to the provincial government on security matters.

They termed the suicide attack on the campus of Karachi University on Tuesday an assault on the friendship between Pakistan and China. The interior minister also visited the house of van driver Khalid Nawaz, who perished in the attack.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022