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Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Sinologist (ex-Diplomat), Editor, Analyst, Non-Resident Fellow of CCG (Center for China and Globalization), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan. (E-mail: [email protected]).
Last couples of the year, the enemies of China are openly trying to harm China, contain China, counter China and resist China's rise. Sometimes, they target China directly, and sometimes they hurt China through another country. At the same time, they are aiming to harm friendly countries with China.
Pakistan is one of the best friends, a close ally, and a strategic partner of China. So it is natural that harming Pakistan means harming China, which is valid vice versa too.
As a matter of fact, Pakistan was under immense pressure for keeping a close friendship with Cina and was often warned to keep its distance from China. As China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the flagship project of the Chinese mega Initiative of Belt and Road (BRI), Enemies of China wanted to sabotage CPEC.
Few countries are running a media campaign against China and Pakistan; They are trying to distort the China-Pakistan relations by spreading fake news, creating wrong narratives, and confusing the masses. We both countries are facing a hybrid war already. Just after Quetta Blast, a few hundred thousand tweets were released from India, giving a wrong message to the world. State-sponsored social media is a factory of misinformation in India.
The notorious Intelligence agency (RAW) of India was allocated a particular budget to sabotage CPEC and harm Chinese nationals, their projects, assets in Pakistan. In 2018, the Chinese Consulate in Karachi was attacked, but Pakistan's brave and professional security forces saved all Chinese nationals and the Consulate premises.
Once again, the enemies of China and Pakistan attempted to harm the Chinese in Pakistan. An explosive-laden vehicle exploded inside the parking of Serena hotel in Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan province, bordering Afghanistan, on April 21, 2021 (Wednesday night), the country's Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad said. Initial reports say that four people were killed and over a dozen others injured (all Pakistanis). The attacker was a suicide and was sitting in a vehicle carrying explosives and died instantly, in an attempt to clean all evidence for investigations.
There was a threat alert in Quetta and other major cities after some suspicious calls were intercepted, and security was on high alert, including other cities in Balochistan, Rasheed said.
Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Kamal hinted at the involvement of some "foreign hand" in the attack and said that the elements that do not want to see Pakistan prospering are searching for a loophole in the security of the province and launch attacks when they succeed in finding any.
The city is bordering Afghanistan, and the same elements opposing peace in Afghanistan and exploiting instability in Afghanistan for executing terrorist attacks in Pakistan are suspected to be behind this attack.
Proscribed organization Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed the attack in a text message to journalists saying a suicide bomber launched the attack targeting locals and foreigners, but the claim has not yet been officially confirmed.
Intelligence sources from Quetta told on condition of anonymity that one security guard was killed and two policemen were injured in the attack.
A Chinese delegation headed by the Chinese Ambassador was in Quetta and was staying in the same hotel. It is suspected that the target of a terrorist attack was the Chinese delegation. But fortunately, they were attending some meetings outside the hotel and were not present at the time of the blast; No Chinese national was hurt at all. The Chinese embassy has confirmed the safety of all Chinese nationals too.
In Pakistan, the Chinese embassy issues a brief press release "On the night of April 21 local time, a car bomb attacked a hotel in Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan province, Pakistan, causing many casualties. China strongly condemns the terrorist attack, expresses condolences to the unfortunate victims, and sympathy to the injured.
Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. Nong Rong, was leading a delegation on a visit to Quetta on the same day. When the attack occurred, the Chinese delegation was not in the hotel. Till present, no reports of casualties of Chinese citizens in the attack have been received.
It was expected that enemies of China and Pakistan might launch any terrorist attack; however, the security forces were alert and have cordoned off the site and collecting forensic evidence. It is expected a detailed report will be publicized once compiled. It is also likely that, once the proof is established, Pakistan and China may knock the doors of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to bring justice if foreign hands are confirmed.
However, China-Pakistan friendship is time-tested and all-weather; it can not be shaken with such cowardice acts by our common enemies. Contrarily, the China-Pakistan relations might be cemented further and affirmed to fight unitedly to defeat our common enemies. Both countries reaffirm that the CPEC will be completed vigorously and made a role model for the rest of the world. The "Iron Brotherhood" will be strengthened further.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
