Pakistan and China's discussions about security measures to protect Chinese nationals working in the South Asian country are a work in progress, Islamabad's ambassador to Beijing said on Wednesday.
Chinese nationals have been in the crosshairs of terrorists who believe Beijing is helping Pakistan exploit minerals in the underdeveloped southwestern province of Balochistan, where China has a strategic port and mining interests.
It is Pakistan's "national responsibility" and the country is "doing everything possible", Ambassador Khalil Hashmi told reporters at the sidelines of the Boao Forum in China's Hainan province.
"I think our two countries work very closely in terms of information sharing, in terms of developing the standard operating procedures" to ensure Chinese nationals working in Pakistan are safe, he said.
"We keep our Chinese friends informed of the steps that we are taking, so it's a work in progress."
Pakistan blames India for supporting the insurgency in Balochistan and accuses Afghanistan of harbouring its organisers and perpetrators. Both countries deny the claims. But the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) vows more attacks. What’s really happening
China pushes for own security forces
Beijing has been pushing Pakistan to allow its security staff to protect thousands of Chinese citizens working there, frustrated by the string of attacks on its citizens.
The push came after a bombing at the Karachi airport last October killed two Chinese engineers who were returning there to work at a power plant.
Hashmi said those talks are ongoing, with a high degree of trust between both countries.
"It's a complex security environment," he said, "We have the capability to resolve, to counter and combat and defeat these terrorist forces."
The attack took place in Barkhan, a district of southwestern Balochistan, a key battleground in Pakistan's decades-long fight against terrorist groups.
