The petitioners also stated that they were subjected to unjustified detainments at their residences on the pretext of security issues and without any legal ground or specific incident…reports Asian Lite News
Six Chinese nationals, who had accused Karachi police of harassment, withdrew their complaint on Monday after the Sindh provincial government promised a full investigation. This comes a day before President Asif Ali Zardari’s five-day visit to China, starting Tuesday.
The Chinese nationals, who run multiple businesses in Karachi, had filed a complaint in the Sindh High Court (SHC) on January 25, complaining of harassment and mistreatment at the hands of local police authorities in the name of security issues.
In their complaint, they stated that, like thousands of other Chinese citizens, they too had come to Pakistan after fulfilling all legal formalities and invested a lot in terms of money and resources in various business ventures in the country.
However, the petitioners contended that Sindh police had engaged in repeated acts of harassment over the last seven months, including imposing restrictions on their movements within the Karachi city and Sindh province.
The petitioners also stated that they were subjected to unjustified detainments at their residences on the pretext of security issues and without any legal ground or specific incident. They accused police officials deputed at their residences of demanding anywhere between Rs 30,000-50,000 for granting permissions to go out.
In their complaint, they mentioned that the local police in Karachi also sealed seven industrial units of some Chinese nationals under the pretext of security issues, and without any legal notice. Many Chinese nationals, they asserted, are now preparing to wrap up their business in Sindh and instead invest in Lahore, or even leave the country due to the unjustified treatment by the Pakistani authorities.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) had issued notices to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan and its Consulate in Karachi, along with provincial and federal law officers to respond to the allegations and complaints filed by the Chinese nationals.
However, the Chinese nationals have now decided to withdraw their complaint after getting assurances from the provincial and the federal governments that the matter will be investigated and people responsible for misconduct held accountable.
Sources say that the issue became a priority for the Pakistani authorities as President Asif Ali Zardari will be beginning his five-day trip to Beijing, starting Tuesday.
The Pakistan Foreign Office stated that Zardari will be in Beijing from February 4 to 8.
“At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Asif Ali Zardari of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan will pay a state visit to China from Feb 4-8,” read a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan.
Pakistan wanted to ensure that the case of harassment of Chinese nationals is put to rest before the President’s Beijing visit.
Security of Chinese nationals across Pakistan, especially in Karachi, has been beefed up after the deadly blast outside the Karachi International Airport that killed two Chinese nationals in October last year. China had severely criticised the incident and called on Islamabad to protect the lives of its citizens working in the country.
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