‘Underground Korean Church’ had hired ill-fated Chinese couple for preaching

NATIONAL: On Monday investigators informed Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan that the two Chinese nationals who were abducted from Quetta and brutally killed had actually been hired by an underworld Church owned by a Korean national to covertly preach Christianity among Pakistani nationals.

“Interior Minister was informed that the two nationals were hired by an underground Church, ARK Info Tech. Korean national and owner of the ARK Academy Juan Won Seo hired about 15 Chinese and 12 Korean nationals for preaching,” an informed source told Pakistan Today.

The source added that the investigators also found out that though the institute presented itself as a language teaching academy but covertly worked on preaching Christianity.

“The Chinese had nothing to do with the racket. Rather they were hired by a Korean racket involved with the underground Church. The girls hired by the Church would reach out to local girls in educational institutions to lure the poor Pakistani and Afghan girls towards Christianity. The preachers used to carry a shorter version of the Bible and they would give small copies to the girls whom they would lure towards Christianity,” an investigator in Balochistan told Pakistan Today.

Further Investigation by Pakistan Today revealed that at least two Korean girls also tried to access the girl students in Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University Quetta. However, the university staff was vigilant and the bid was thwarted immediately.

“The Korean girls included 27-year-old Kown Ki Ye and 23-year-old Lee Ha Gyeong. Both girls lived in Wania Hostel, Quetta. However, once the management came to know of their motives, they expelled both girls,” the source added.

The official said that further investigation was underway.

Meanwhile, an official handout said that the Interior Minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan directed Interior Ministry to review, regulate and streamline the process of issuance of visas to Chinese nationals after the unfortunate incident of abduction of two Chinese from Quetta.

Expressing his deep concern over the unfortunate incident, the minister observed that there is a need to review the process of issuance of visas to Chinese nationals coming to Pakistan for various projects and simultaneously to maintain a databank of those Chinese nationals present in various parts of the country. This databank, to be prepared by NADRA, should be shared with all security agencies, ordered the minister. He also observed the need to regulate the process of granting visa extensions to ensure that the facility is not misused.

The meeting was attended also by Secretary Interior, Advocate General, DG IMPASS, Deputy Chairman NADRA and senior officers.

Taking serious note of laxity often shown by the Pakistani missions abroad in granting visas, especially in the business category, the Minister directed that all Pakistani missions are bound to undertake proper scrutiny of visa application forms and must obtain all necessary details before exercising their power to issue visas to foreign nationals.

He also directed that MOFA should be taken onboard and their input is included while formulating new visa policy guidelines for issuance of visas to the foreigners on various visa categories.

On the security of Chinese nationals present inside the country, the minister observed that ensuring the security of foreign nationals is a shared responsibility. Where the government makes every effort to provide security to foreigners, the visiting foreign nationals are equally obligated to abide by the terms and conditions of their visas and inform local authorities about their movements and activities keeping in view the security requirements.

The minister was informed that a group of Chinese citizens (which included the two abductees) obtained business visas from Pakistani Embassy in Beijing and entered Pakistan. However, instead of engaging in any business activity they went to Quetta and under the garb of learning the Urdu language were actually engaged in preaching. The reports received by the Interior Ministry indicate that Mr Lee Zing Yang (24 years) and Ms Meng Li Si (26 years) were abducted from Jinnah Town Quetta on May 24.