China calls for 'upgraded security cooperation mechanism' after Gwadar attack

China condemned the suicide attack in Gwadar and has called on relevant departments at all levels in Pakistan to implement an upgraded security cooperation mechanism to ensure that similar incidents do not happen again, a statement issued by its embassy said.

On Friday evening, two children were killed and four others were injured after a suicide blast targeting a vehicle carrying Chinese nationals took place in Gwadar, Balochistan. A Chinese national also suffered minor injuries.

Two children killed, three injured in Gwadar suicide blast

In a statement after the incident, Pakistan's interior ministry said that a young boy ran out of a nearby fishermen colony and exploded himself about 15-20 metres from the convoy.

"As a result a Chinese national was injured, he was rushed to nearby Gwadar hospital where he is stable," the ministry added.

The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan condemned the terrorism attack, and extended sympathies to the injured of both countries.

In its statement, the embassy demanded Pakistan to properly treat the wounded, and conduct a thorough investigation and severely punish the perpetrators. It also issued a safety-guideline to its citizens.

"At the same time, relevant departments at all levels in Pakistan must take practical and effective measures to accelerate to implement strengthened whole-process security measures and upgraded security cooperation mechanism to ensure that similar incidents will not happen again," the embassy said.

Safety guidelines

The embassy has also advised Chinese citizens to be vigilant, reduce unnecessary outings, and take effective security protections due to the security situation in Pakistan.

This latest incident comes a month after the Dasu bus incident in which nine Chinese nationals and three Pakistanis lost their lives.

Terrorism cannot be ruled out in Dasu incident: Fawad Chaudhry

The bus was carrying more than 30 Chinese engineers to the site of the Dasu dam in Upper Kohistan.

While Pakistan's foreign ministry initially blamed a mechanical failure for a "leakage of gas that caused a blast", China's foreign ministry decried the incident as a bomb attack that caused injuries and death to its nationals.

However, later, officials in Pakistan said that the investigation led to the conclusion that terrorism could not be ruled out as traces of explosives were found at the site of the incident.

In another incident, in Karachi, a Chinese national was shot at and wounded when the victim was being driven to the city's industrial area.

China is a close ally and major investor in Pakistan, and various militants opposed to the Pakistani government have in the past attacked Chinese projects and citizens.

China is also heavily involved in the development of the Gwadar port as part of a $60-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is itself part of Beijing's Belt and Road infrastructure project.

The two countries have forged deeper ties with the CPEC project with energy, infrastructure, and transport forming part of the overall relationship. It has also resulted in thousands of Chinese workers and engineers coming to work in Pakistan over the last six years.