Pakistan: Aggressive attitude from Chinese results in backlash

ISLAMABAD: The

Chinese in Pakistan

are facing a backlash due to their aggressive attitude and dominance amid the growing alliance between Beijing and Islamabad.

In the last decade, several attacks were held on Chinese across Pakistan which indicates dissatisfaction and opposition by the locals.

On December 18 last year, due to their aggressive attitude, the staff members of Chinese company Gansu Construction Investment heavy Industry

Korangi

were beaten by unidentified attackers with clubs and rods in the Korangi area of

Karachi

city.

Two days earlier, the body of a Chinese national, 53-year old Li Wenzhang, who was working for a private power supply company for the last five years was recovered from his company compound container house in

Port Qasim

.

On July 14 last year, nine Chinese engineers were among 13 people killed when a bus carrying construction workers in Dasu area of Upper Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was attacked.

Beijing has been pumping money not only to Pakistan's economic hubs but also to places like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

In Sindh, Chinese firms have not only completed several CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Project) projects but have also bought a 40 per cent stake in the

Pakistan Stock Exchange

(PSX) company. In Karachi city, sanitation contracts had been given out to Chinese companies, which have irked the locals.

The Chinese have been facing resistance across Pakistan as they are not only exploiting the resources but even creating unemployment for the local Pakistanis. This has fuelled anti-China sentiments among the Pakistanis and they have been carrying out attacks on Chinese workers.

In August last year, a suicide bomber attacked Chinese nationals in Balochistan injuring one person whereas a gun shooting incident killed two Chinese factory workers.

In 2018, several attacks were carried out against the Chinese in Pakistan. On 23 November 2018, an attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi was carried out in which 3 attackers and 2 Pakistani guards were killed.

In August 2018, a suicide bomber targeted a vehicle carrying Chinese citizens. Three Chinese and three local security officers had been grievously injured in the incident.

The Chinese have been facing resistance in Balochistan, where they are investing huge money building Gwadar Port as part of a multi-billion dollar CPEC project. While the region is considered risky for investment, the Chinese appear to have had no qualms so far in funnelling money into the province.