During the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Islamabad, Pakistan will restrict the freedom of movement for Chinese citizens, according to sources. This decision comes in the wake of a large explosion near Karachi airport in southern Pakistan on Sunday, October 6, which resulted in the deaths of two Chinese workers.
The SCO summit is scheduled to take place from October 15 to 16 in the Pakistan’s capital. Reuters reported, citing three security officials and an internal security notification, that due to security threats targeting Chinese citizens by radical groups, Pakistani authorities are working to limit the activities of Chinese citizens during the conference in order to ensure their safety.
The security notification mentioned that “instructions have been received from the authorities to halt all types of movement of Chinese personnel, including within cities, inter-city, and airports, from October 14 to 17, 2024 due to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and visits of multiple delegations.”
The three senior security officials who received the security notification stated that the information has also been conveyed to the Chinese authorities.
The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad and the Pakistani Interior Ministry did not respond to Reuters’ request for comments.
The SCO consists of nine formal members, including China, India, Iran, and Russia, with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang expected to attend the summit.
Over the past four years, Pakistan has seen a series of attacks targeting Chinese citizens. According to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, multiple deadly attacks occurred in August in Balochistan province, resulting in over fifty deaths, aiming to disrupt development projects supported by China. Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province known for its abundant resources but high poverty rates. It hosts several strategic ports and significant projects led by China, such as mining for gold and copper.
In March this year, five Chinese workers and a Pakistani driver tragically lost their lives in a suicide bombing attack while traveling to the Dasu Dam, the largest hydroelectric project in Pakistan.
Balochistan is the birthplace of Baloch Liberation Army, an armed group pushing for independence, which believes that foreign investments brought in by the federal government and projects like oil exploration do not benefit the local residents.
As part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor was launched in 2013. Currently, thousands of Chinese workers are employed in various projects across Pakistan.