By IRNA
Islamabad : Pakistan and China on Monday signed an agreement to set up a task force to strengthen the security of Chinese nationals living in Pakistan, officials said.
The agreement was inked at a ceremony in Islamabad following series of attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan.
Last month three Chinese were killed in the city of Peshawar and a group of Chinese engineers narrowly escaped unhurt in a suicide car bomb attack in southwestern Balochistan, which had killed around 30 people including police guards.
The Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Mr. Luo Zhaohui signed the agreement on behalf of their respective countries, state radio reported.
The task force, comprising top officials from Interior and Foreign inistries, will meet each month and discuss security matters and find ways and means to improve the security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan.
Proposals presented by the Assistant Foreign Minister of China will also be incorporated.
The task force will also review investigations into cases relating to Chinese nationals.
Minister for Interior Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and the visiting Assistant Foreign Minister of China Mr. Cui Tiankai witnessed the signing ceremony.
“The agreement brought the two countries further closer,” Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao told reporters. He termed the agreement as very important.
“It has cemented the ties and will ensure the security of the Chinese nationals living in Pakistan”.
He said the two sides have been able to resolve most of the cases and the government of Pakistan will ensure that no such incidents occur in future.
“The agreement would give us leverage for a quick response on any such security issues which crops up and where the lives of the Chinese nationals are in danger”.