China asks Pakistan to provide additional security for its envoy

Islamabad: China has asked Pakistan to provide additional security for its long-serving envoy in Islamabad in the wake of threats to his life from an outlawed extremist separatist group, media reports said on Saturday.

The request was made in a letter written to the Ministry of Interior on October 19.

The letter, circulated in the local media, was written by the focal person for the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Ping Ying Fi who has also asked Pakistan to immediately arrest a militant who wanted to "assassinate" Chinese ambassador in Islamabad Yao Jing.

Ping said that Yao is facing threats to his life from a militant, Abdul Wali, who belongs to the banned East Turkestan Independent Movement, which largely operates from China's Xinjiang region, bordering Pakistan. It is suspected that Wali has entered Pakistan from China.

China asked Pakistan to "enhance the protection" of the ambassador and other Chinese working in Pakistan.

It has also asked Pakistan to "arrest the terrorist and hand over to us (China) as soon as possible".

The security of Chinese officials in Pakistan is a major issue and army has been tasked to provide security to the Chinese working on various projects, including the CPEC.

Pakistan's Interior Ministry and the Chinese embassy have declined to comment on the letter.

The CPEC, which traverse through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), will connect Xinjiang with Pakistan's seaport Gwadar through a network of rail, road and pipeline.