So far as Pakistan is concerned, the main Chinese focus has been on theactivities of the Uighurs and Uzbeks based in the Pakistan-Afghanistan borderregion, Al Qaeda and other jihadi organisations associated with Al Qaeda.
Even though there have been no indications so far of any Olympics-relatedjihadi activity in Pakistani territory, the Chinese authorities have beenmonitoring the developments closely.
Mr Wang Yi, the Chinese Senior Vice Foreign Minister, was expected inIslamabad on December 11, 2007, on a two-day visit. Sections of the Pakistanimedia have speculated that the visit might be connected with the on-going talksbetween the two countries on Chinese assistance for more nuclear power stationsin Pakistan. However, reliable police sources say that the main purpose of hisvisit is to discuss terrorism-related developments with the Pakistaniauthorities and their likely implications for the Beijing Olympics. With regardto Al Qaeda and its Pakistani associates such as the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JEM) andothers, an important area of concern is the likelihood of their infiltrating thePakistani teams, which would be participating in the Olympics and stagingincidents in Beijing. There is a likelihood of the Olympics Torch touchingKarachi in April next. Security arrangements on this occasion are also likely tobe discussed by him.
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(The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. ofIndia, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies,Chennai. He is also associated with the Chennai Centre For China Studies.)
