Chinese Embassy in Pakistan shuts consular section after threats from Pak Taliban, Baloch fighters

Islamabad: In a major development, China has announced to temporarily close the consular section of its embassy in cash-strapped Pakistan due to “technical issues”. This comes days after the Xi Jinping-led Chinese government advised its citizens to be extremely cautious while in Pakistan due to the security situation, Geo News reported. A source in Islamabad’s Diplomatic Enclave informed News18 that the Chinese embassy was receiving threats from Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) and Baloch militants continuously. Therefore, after consulting with Beijing, the embassy decided to suspend its consular services to avoid any mishaps, the source added. Further, the source alleged that China is not happy with the Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government in Pakistan as the attacks on Chinese citizens and China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects are on rise. “If Islamabad can’t protect our citizens, projects and interests, we know the way", China has reportedly said, the source claimed. ‘Consular Section temporarily closed’ The Chinese embassy posted a notice on its official website announcing the temporary shutdown of the consular section for the information of the general public. The notification stated that the closure will stand until further instructions. “Consular Section of the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad will be temporarily closed from February 13, 2023 until further notice, due to technical issues,” the notice read. However, the Chinese embassy did not share any specific information about the nature of the issues and did not provide a timeline for the reopening of the consular section. Security ‘at risk’ in Pakistan Earlier, the Chinese government had asked its citizens to be extremely cautious while in Pakistan due to the security situation. In a notice, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ consular department on Saturday warned the citizens that they may be at risk of high levels of security in Pakistan, reports said. While providing a helpline number and an email address, it has advised people to contact if they need assistance in connection with urgent passport and travel document matters. Recently, the Pakistani government had reiterated its resolve to protect all its citizens and foreign nationals. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on February 12 chaired a meeting in Gwadar on counter-terrorism and security of foreign nationals in the country and directed authorities to take all possible measures to ensure the safety of foreign nationals. He further assured that foolproof security will be provided to Chinese nationals working on various projects in Pakistan. Any negligence in this regard will not be tolerated, the minister added. (With inputs from agencies) Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.