The Chinese embassy in Pakistan has called for an investigation following a suicide bombing that resulted in the tragic loss of five Chinese engineers. These engineers were working on a dam project and were en route to the Dasu Dam, which is the largest hydropower project in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The attack occurred on Tuesday, marking the third major assault on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.
Update: China demands probe after 5 Chinese nationals killed in Pakistan suicide attack
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On Tuesday, a suicide bomber deliberately drove a vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers who were working on a dam project in northwest Pakistan. This horrifying attack resulted in the loss of six lives, including both Chinese nationals and local police officers. Tragically, this incident marks the third major attack on Chinese interests within Pakistan in just one week.
In a statement, the Chinese embassy and consulates in Pakistan have swiftly initiated emergency measures. They urge the Pakistani authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the attack, bring the perpetrators to justice, and implement practical and effective safety measures to safeguard the well-being of Chinese citizens.
The initial two attacks targeted an airbase and a strategic port in the southwest province of Balochistan. These locations are significant because China has substantial investments in various infrastructure projects within this region, amounting to billions of dollars.
According to Mohammad Ali Gandapur, the regional police chief, the engineers were en route from Islamabad to their camp at the dam construction site in Dasu, located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed in the attack,” Gandapur said.
In the Dasu area of Upper Kohistan District, Pakistan, lies a significant hydroelectric project where Chinese and Pakistani workers have toiled together for several years. Unfortunately, this region has witnessed violence in the past.
In 2021, a tragic incident occurred when a bus carrying Chinese workers plunged into a ravine after an explosion. Thirteen lives were lost, including nine Chinese citizens and four Pakistanis, with 28 others injured1.
Chinese engineers have been actively involved in various projects in Pakistan, particularly through the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
No group has claimed responsibility for the recent attack, just as there was no claim following the tragic incident in 2021. Pakistan grapples with dual insurgencies: one led by Islamists and the other by ethnic militants who seek secession.
These ethnic militants primarily focus on Chinese interests, aiming to displace Beijing from the mineral-rich province of Balochistan. However, their activities are typically concentrated in the southern and southwestern regions of the country—distant from the location of Tuesday’s attack.
In the region where the convoy came under attack, Islamist groups are predominantly active, particularly in Pakistan’s northwest. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police swiftly arrived at the scene and initiated relief operations.
According to a separate police source cited by Reuters, the convoy transported employees of the construction company China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC), who were engaged in the Dasu hydropower project.
It’s noteworthy that this is the same company that was targeted in the tragic incident back in 2021. Following that attack, construction work had come to a halt for several months.
The Chinese embassy in Islamabad has not yet issued a response to the emailed request for comment regarding the recent attacks.
These incidents occur just a week before Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to travel to Beijing, as reported by a source within the Prime Minister’s Office. This visit will mark Sharif’s first official trip since assuming office after the February elections.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed strong condemnation for the attack and reaffirmed the country’s unwavering commitment to combatting militants.
The Dasu region, home to a significant dam project, has unfortunately been targeted before. In 2021, a devastating bus explosion claimed the lives of 13 individuals, including nine Chinese nationals.
The swift response of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, who promptly arrived at the scene and initiated relief operations, is commendable. Thankfully, the remaining individuals in the convoy were safeguarded, as stated by Gandapur.
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