Tazeen Akhtar
Pakistan successfully hosted the 23rd SCO HGC 2024 in Islamabad and proved equal to the task that was not only gigantic but the most challenging as well in a sense that only few days ago , again the Chinese citizens were killed in Karachi at the secured place inside the airport premises by the Balochistan Liberation Army’s Majeed Brigade. No doubt this attack was possible only on information leakage from within the system, either from Urumqi or from Karachi.
Look at the bewildered establishment including the gov and gov paid media that all were drowned in the SCO on 16 Oct that was the day of assassination of the leader of Pakistan movement and the first Prime Minister of United Pakistan. In routine, his murder anniversary is observed nationally but on this 16 Oct , no one had a single spark in mind or memory that it is the day of Liaqat Ali Khan. This is the worst example of forgetting the saviors by the opportunist rulers.
Terrorism is huge threat that forced the gov to take extra ordinary measures for security during SCO but it is also a matter of fact that the closure of everything like a curfew situation in the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi was not necessary. Roads blocked, Internet off, Markets closed, the citizens imprisoned. Lights at night were off in the markets that are out of the no go areas of the capital city.
China thinking upon Taking Over Security of her Citizens in Pakistan?
Red Zone fortification was enough but the authorities are authorities and they use their state powers blindly always. Far flung sectors of Rawalpindi were also cordoned of where there nothing happening in connection with SCO and where the residents heard SCO for the first time in their life. Shops, hotels, workshops, offices, schools were closed on 14-16 Oct.
Nothing has been announced nor anyone is available to answer “who will compensate the loss of the private businesses caused by the blockades and closures in these 3 hard days and nights.”
Karachi airport attack on Chinese was not possible without cooperation from inside sources. The flight was special and only few related officials had the knowledge about its departure and arrival. The distance is of few hours and in the meanwhile , the terrorists arranged an explosive laden vehicle , traveled in the city , reached into the airport and parked the vehicle exactly in the way of the engineers. This speaks a lot how deep the terrorists have their sympathizers.
The time factor forces one to think that most probably the leakage of information was made soon after the departure. Only then the terrorists had the time to make all arrangements. This is alarming state of affairs. Both countries can further see the matter and investigate any possibility of information sharing and point out the lapses in the security to curb the menace in the future.
In SCO, China is a big player and her Premier Mr. Li Qiang arrived Pakistan a day before the schedule of SCO. Certainly he had bilateral agenda including the inauguration of New Gawader International Airport. Here , it was noted that he had to inaugurate the airport virtually at PM office auditorium in Islamabad and not in Gawader. CPEC is all about connectivity.
China is the financier of the project and what a tyranny it is that the Premier of China can not go to Gawader for security reasons.
Security for Chinese in Pakistan – The Margins are Narrowing Down and Down- by Tazeen Akhtar
