ISLAMABAD: The Chinese Embassy spokesperson said that all Confucius Institutes in Pakistan are operational and none of them have been closed.

The spokesperson said that all teaching activities at various Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms in Pakistan would be conducted online or offline by Chinese and Pakistani teachers and Chinese partner universities.

On April 26, at least four people, including three Chinese nationals, were killed while four others were injured in a suicide bombing outside the Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi.

The spokesperson said that after discussions with relevant departments in Pakistan, some Chinese teachers have returned to China for the upcoming summer vacation and, according to demand, will return to Pakistan at the appropriate time.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson said the Chinese side plans to provide more quality teaching resources to meet the needs of Pakistani students to learn the Chinese language.

Online Classes

The Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi announced on Tuesday that it will resume online classes from May 23.

“This is to inform you that teaching and cultural activities will resume at the Confucius Institute, University of Karachi from May 23,” a notification from the institute reads.

The notification says classes will be held “online with the same schedule.” He advised students to follow their class group’s notification for more information.

The statement comes after it was reported that Chinese instructors teaching at the Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi have left for their country.

On Sunday, eleven Chinese teachers living in a cordoned off area of ​​NED University departed under tight security for the Jinnah International Terminal to catch a flight home.

Last week, the institute’s director, Dr. Nasiruddin, said teachers from various Confucius institutes across the country, not just the University of Karachi, had been recalled by China.

The director assured that the institute would not be closed, adding that Pakistani teachers were asked to help teach Mandarin. He said the institute is planning to hold online courses and exams, adding that currently at least 500 students are studying at the institute.

The Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi was jointly established by the University of Karachi and Sichuan Normal University in China in 2013.