Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari (left) and Xie Guoxiang, Minister Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan. Photo: Chinese Embassy in Pakistan

 
Pakistan's newly appointed Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday, the day he was sworn into the post, visited the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan to send condolences to the Chinese victims of the terror attack at the Confucius Institute in the University of Karachi in Pakistan. 

Three Chinese nationals and a Pakistani man were killed, and another Chinese was injured in a targeted suicide bombing at the University of Karachi's Confucius Institute on Tuesday afternoon local time in Karachi.

Bilawal said he directly came to the Chinese Embassy to mourn the victims after being sworn in earlier in the day. 

He said that Pakistan strongly condemns terror attacks that target Chinese citizens and sends the sincerest condolences to the people who died or got hurt in the attack as well as their families. 

"Terrorism is definitely intolerable," Bilawal said, vowing for a deep investigation into the issue to arrest the murderer no matter the cost and punish them severely.

Bilawal noted that Pakistan's cabinet has decided to enhance security for Chinese citizens, Chinese projects and institutions in Pakistan.

The friendship between China and Pakistan has a long history. China has helped Pakistan many times and contributed largely to Pakistan's development. Pakistan would not allow any force to hurt the two countries' all-weather friendship and cooperation, Bilawal stressed.

He also thanked China's help to Pakistan in counter-terrorism efforts, saying that Pakistan would like to learn from China's experience and continue close cooperation with China in fighting terrorism.

Xie Guoxiang, Minister Counselor at the Chinese Embassy, appreciated Bilawal's visit. Xie reiterated China's strong condemnation and indignation at the terror attack, noting that China is willing to provide assistance to Pakistan to hunt down the murderer.  

On Tuesday afternoon, soon after the attack, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited the Chinese Embassy to express his condolences to the victims of the terror attack and wrote a message, vowing to do whatever it takes to bring the perpetrators to justice, according to a release from the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan.

"We are deeply shocked and distressed at this dastardly attack on our Iron Brothers," read the note written by Sharif in the embassy, in which he reiterated that "we remain committed to eliminating all militarists and terrorists from Pakistani soil. We won't rest until the culprits are hunted down and given exemplary punishment."

Global Times