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A friendship of all seasons, as they call it. Higher than the Himalayas, sweeter than honey. Pakistan and China have remained compatriots since their recognition of each other, almost 70 years ago.
Not just friends in good times, the countries have helped each other in their bad times as well. China recently invested almost $60 billion in Pakistan, in the shape of the One Belt One Road – China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). With people from either country settling in the other, or there for business, usually, they are treated as friends and neighbours.
However, there is a very thin line which can cause troubles between the said brotherhood.
Recently, an incident has caused a huge controversy on Pakistani social media. A video surfaced the other day, from China, where a young man was being beaten by two guys with stones and bricks, while a woman tried to stop them.
China: Pakistani student Osama(University: Shanyang) killed in public by the father and brother of the girl he was dating. This is 2nd such case, foreigners are definitely not safe in China. Any word on it ? @ImranKhanPTI@ShireenMazari1 @fawadchaudhry @omar_quraishi @ChinaDaily pic.twitter.com/55ocpLb3J3
— Ali Arif ?? (@i_aliarif) November 18, 2018
As reported by a journalist on Twitter, the incident took place in Beijing and a 21-year-old student from Bahawalpur, Pakistan, Usama Ahmed Khan, was beaten to death by the brother and father of a Chinese girl in an alleged case of ‘honour killing’ in China.
You"ll shocked to know what Osama's friend in China has claimed,
Local students beat them up and force them to change their religion.
He said that they are on scholarship in Shanghai University, but @pid_gov isn't giving them their scholarship funds.#ChinaMustAnswer— Ali Arif ?? (@i_aliarif) November 18, 2018
Now, when the news was reported, everyone believed it and jumped to the same conclusion. Later, the journalist added on his Twitter account that he had talked to one of Usama’s friend from the same Shenyang Jihanzau University, who said that Pakistani students are being ‘forced to convert’ and change their religion.
This addition does not back the first claim which said that Usama’s life was taken because of his Chinese girlfriend. Furthermore, under the same tweet, Lijian Zhao, a member of the Chinese Embassy submitted a detailed report of the incident which sort of clarified things, but also made them much more complex.
FAKE NEWS!!! The story about Usama Ahmad Khan has been verified by Pakistan Embassy in Beijing. The Embassy called upon the media to exercise caution in such matters, avoid sensationalism & stop spreading fake news. @CathayPak @ForeignOfficePk @OfficialDGISPR @RadioPakistan pic.twitter.com/cRSZnMO9lV
— Lijian Zhao 赵立坚 (@zlj517) November 19, 2018
The notification confirmed the death of Osama in China, in the same Shenyang University, but it stated that the video being circulated was not of Usama but an old video. It said: “the video being circulated on social media is not authentic or of Mr. Usama. We call upon the media to exercise caution in such matters, avoid sensationalism and stop spreading rumors.”
With that, there’s one thing that the Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing forgot to tell – which is the cause of Usama’s death. This, indeed, cannot be a timely coincidence that a student passes away in the university and a video like this surfaces on the internet the same day. The Embassy must clarify the cause of death so the rumours can be put to bed.
Another person under the tweet added that he had talked to Pakistani students studying in Shenyang University and they too denied that the video was of Usama. The incident, still, has caused a huge controversy with all the conspiracy rumours, including the one that says Usama took his own life.
