ISLAMABAD   -  China on Friday expressing support for Pakistan’s crackdown on those involved in fraudulent transnational marriages said that it had sent a task force to Pakistan for law-enforcement cooperation.

“The Ministry of Public Security of China has sent a task force to Pakistan to carry out law-enforcement cooperation with the Pakistani side. China’s position on the issue of transnational marriage is very clear, that is to protect legitimate marriages and combat crimes,” spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad said in a statement issued here.

The spokesperson said that China would strengthen cooperation with the law enforcement agencies in Pakistan to effectively combat crime, protect the legitimate rights and interests of the two peoples and jointly safeguard China-Pakistan friendly relations.

“If any organisation or individual commits a crime in Pakistan under the banner of the cross-border marriage, China supports the Pakistani side to crackdown on it according to Pakistani laws,” the spokesperson added.

The spokesman said that Pakistani side was taking measures in accordance with its domestic laws and regulations and the relevant cases were under investigation.

The statement of the spokesperson ,however, mentioned that several media reports were based on fabricated facts and were spreading rumours on linking illegal marriages with forced prostitution in China.

“According to investigations by the Ministry of Public Security of China, there is no forced prostitution or sale of human organs for those Pakistani women who stay in China after marriage with Chinese,” the statement said.

“We hope the people of China and Pakistan do not believe the rumours. We will never allow a few criminals to undermine China-Pakistan friendship and hurt the friendly feelings between two peoples,” the statement said.

INP adds: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Friday arrested three more Chinese nationals suspected of involvement in fake marriages and human trafficking from the Islamabad airport. The FIA’s immigration cell also took into custody three local women who were accompanying the Chinese men. The three couples were intercepted as they were about to leave for China.

The development comes a day after the FIA announced that it had already taken 11 Chinese nationals into custody for a probe into a transnational gang allegedly involved in prostitution and illegal organ trade.

An FIA press release detailed how the agency had come to know about the suspected ring, which involves large sums of money changing hands for contracting of fake marriages between vulnerable Pakistani women and Chinese men. The women are later allegedly trafficked into prostitution in China.