Karachi - The Sindh police on Saturday arrested two facilitators for their alleged involvement in the terror attack on the Chinese Consulate as Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah ordered the security audit of all consulates situated in the city.
In a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing and the Consul General who called on him at the CM House, the Sindh chief minister said “Chinese are our brothers and their security is our top most priority.”
The Chinese officials thanked the chief minister for prompt action by the law enforcing agencies (LEAs) that foiled attack on Chinese Consulate in Karachi.
Murad Ali Shah informed the visiting officials that he has ordered for the security audit of all consulates, situated in the city, adding bulletproof jackets will be provided to all police personnel performing duties at consulates to safeguard their lives.
Murad said China and Pakistan were time-tested friends and they are important development partners, therefore their friendship was not acceptable to the enemies of Pakistan, that was why they attempted to attack Chinese Consulate in Karachi.
The meeting was also attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, IG Sindh Dr Kaleem Imam, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid jamal Abro and others.
The chief minister said the attack [on Chinese Consulate] was unfortunate but timely action by the provincial government thwarted it and top of it the Chinese Consulate had adequate security.
At this the Chinese ambassador appreciated the efforts and timely operation of the provincial government. He expressed profound grief over the loss of lives of two policemen and two passersby. The ambassador also thanked the chief minister for visiting Chinese Consulate just after the attack and said the visit infused a sense of confidence and personal care among the Chinese staff members.
The chief minister said that he has directed the IG Police to conduct security audit of all the consulates and provide bulletproof jackets to the policemen deployed there. “We are also working to complete safe city project on war footing,” he said.
Murad said the force deployed at Sindh-Balochistan border has been instructed to strengthen their security and checking system. “Sindh and Balochistan governments are jointly working to keep an eye on the movement of terrorists and outlaws at the border,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Sindh police arrested two suspects on Saturday in separate operations in Karachi and Shahdadpur.
Both the suspects, whose identities are yet to be revealed, have been shifted to an undisclosed location for interrogation. The suspects are believed to have spoken to the terrorists before they attacked the consulate.
The attack on the consulate has been claimed by Balochistan Liberation Army. The attackers have been identified as Razzaq, Raees Baloch and Azal Khan Mari alias Sangat Dada.
On the other hand, the police have registered a first information report (FIR) of the attack on Chinese Consulate in Karachi. According to the text of the FIR, police had killed all three terrorists during an exchange of fire at the consulate’s entrance gate.
MASTERMIND IN INDIA: MINISTER
NNI adds from Quetta: Balochistan Minister for Home and Tribal Affairs Saleem Khan Khosa Saturday said the mastermind behind attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi, Aslam alias Achchu, was in India.
In a statement, the minister said reports about Achchu’s death were false. He accused India of fomenting unrest in Balochistan.
He said the provincial government had launched a probe against three terrorists who tried to storm the Chinese consulate in Karachi and were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces.
The attackers were listed as missing persons since 2015, claimed the minister.
Citing sources, a private television channel had reported a day earlier that Aslam alias Achchu, a commander of the outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), was the mastermind behind the attack on the Chinese consulate.
Achchu is currently under treatment at Max Hospital in New Delhi. He had fled to India after being injured in an operation by the Pakistani forces in Balochistan’s Sibi district.