“It was decided to advise all private security agencies, sponsors and project managers who were responsible for providing security to the foreigners that they should hire former servicemen,” he said.

Pakistan on Thursday said it would continue to work with China for the safety and security of Chinese nationals and projects in the country, days after Beijing said it would continue to support Islamabad in its fight against terrorism to protect its nationals working on various projects in Pakistan.

Chinese nationals have frequently come under attack from terrorists and separatist groups in different parts of the country.

Last month, two engineers were killed in a suicide bomb attack near Karachi airport drawing a strong reaction from the Chinese government over the security of their citizens in Pakistan.

Separatist groups have targeted Chinese nationals working in Pakistan on several private projects and also those under the aegis of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “Intelligence Bureau and Special Branch of police are conducting audits of private security guards deployed for the security of Chinese citizens,” Nabi said. He said this was being done to find out how many experienced and qualified personnel were employed and deployed by private agencies for the security of Chinese nationals and added that the review committee has recommended further “concrete steps” for it.

The Sindh government has also set up a hotline for Chinese nationals for immediate contract with law enforcement agencies.

The November 5 firing was the third incident involving attacks on Chinese or other foreign nationals in Karachi this year.

In October, two Chinese engineers working at the Port Qasim terminal were killed when a suicide bomber struck a vehicle carrying them near the Karachi airport.

In another incident in Korangi, a private security guard injured two Chinese nationals over a dispute over work at a garments factory.