Recent research debunks claims of Indian media about Chinese nationals roaming with Kalashnikov and AK-47 rifles following the Dasu incident in Pakistan.
The Dasu Bus explosion had claimed the lives of nine Chinese nationals. Following this, several Indian media outlets including India Today and local social media ran pictures of some Chinese nationals holding Kalashnikov claiming that they are now roaming with weapons for their safety and security in Pakistan.
Several Chinese nationals including engineers have been residing in Pakistan as they work on different projects initiated under CPEC.
Pictures of Chinese Engineers carrying AK 47s in Pakistan.
This after China paying $ 500 Million every year to Jungjoo Foj for protection 😂
All that Chinese money is swindled by jungjoo gernails, kernails who buy golden visas in the west post their retirement 😂 pic.twitter.com/Wc7Ze2fbvs
— Jayess (@Sootradhar) July 23, 2021
According to the BBC report, the pictures of Chinese nationals were misused and contributed to a smear campaign against Pakistan ran by Indian social media. Social media users re-shared those pictures and asserted that Chinese nationals living in Pakistan are forced to pick up guns for their safety and security. The libelous campaign led major Indian outlets to question and discredit the competence of security agencies of Pakistan.
Read more: Traces of explosives found at Dasu bus incident site
An Indian user with a verified Twitter account said: “China has ordered its citizens to keep Kalashnikovs with them during their stay in Pakistan. Even China (Pakistan) gives so much money to militant generals.”
Fearing bus attack in Pakistan, Chinese citizens are protecting themselves with AK-47 rifles https://t.co/vcFNgxL1X6
— Today-Talk (@TodayTalk1) July 22, 2021
After bus blast, Chinese workers in Pakistan seen carrying AK-47 rifles. The incident took place as the bus was transporting Chinese engineers to the Dasu dam site in Upper Kohistan. Nine of those killed were engineers from China.@manjeetnegilive https://t.co/eAb8Dee7Lg
— snehanshu shekhar 🇮🇳 (@snehanshus) July 23, 2021
The two specific pictures show two Chinese-like people holding guns and AK-47rifles along with technical equipment. This gave an impression of the men in the pictures working on a construction site in Pakistan.
Read more: Blast in Upper Kohistan claims 13 lives, including 9 Chinese
These men, however, were not wearing any protective gear like helmets or jackets. In one photo, the man can be seen wearing shorts. When these pictures were checked through the reverse image, it was revealed that they were posted in a blog titled, ‘After living abroad for a year’ in May 2020 in which Chinese nationals working abroad posted their pictures. Chinese nationals shared their photos before and after leaving the country. Whereas, the Dasu bus attack happened in July 2021.