China Issues Ultimatum to Pak Over Ill-Treatment of Its Workers After One Held on Blasphemy Charges
China is upset with Pakistan over the ill-treatment of its workers in the country and has issued an ultimatum that any attack on its interests and establishment will be dangerous for Pakistan.
Top Pakistan sources told CNN-News18 that China also told Pakistan that they will be sending their own security forces to safeguard their establishment, projects and workers.
Upset with its fair-weather friend, China told Pakistan that it cannot be treated the way the country is dealing with the rest of the world.
The Chinese side also told the Pakistan establishment that for implementation and execution of projects, they need commitment from both the political and military sides.
Ties between Pakistan and China saw another stumbling block after a Chinese national accused of blasphemy was arrested in the Kohistan district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on April 17.
The accused – identified only by his surname, Tian – is an engineer in charge of heavy machinery for China Gezhouba Group Company at the Dasu hydropower project — a major venture under the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPC). He was accused of blasphemy by local drivers working under his supervision.
Tian allegedly made blasphemous remarks on Friday when the workers were going to perform the weekly prayer. According to local people, the Chinese manager complained to workers at the dam that “precious time” was being lost due to prayer breaks.
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has sent the Chinese national to jail on a 14-day judicial remand. He was shifted to Abbottabad via an Army helicopter due to security concerns as the police feared local people could harm him.
Considering the close relations with China, Pakistan has taken extraordinary precautions to protect the Chinese engineer by keeping him in a top security prison to avoid mob attacks, according to the media reports.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing in Beijing that “the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan is verifying the information”.
“The Chinese government always asks Chinese nationals overseas to abide by laws and regulations of the host countries and respect local customs and traditions,” he said.
“If the incident involves Chinese nationals, our Embassy will provide consular protection and assistance within the purview of its duty,” he told reporters in response to a question.
