A suicide bomber on a Chinese citizen killed five people in Pakistan
At a time when Chinese people and world public opinion are paying attention to the terrorist attack at the Klokus Concert Hall in Russia, there has also been a terrorist attack in Pakistan, China's neighbor. Unfortunately, 5 five citizens of China were killed. Reuters quoted Dasu District Police Chief Mohammad Ali Gandapur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as saying that a suicide bomber rammed a vehicle full of explosives into a convoy transporting Chinese engineers from Islamabad to Dasu camp. Gandapur said: Five Chinese nationals and Pakistani drivers were killed in the attack. He said the police had arrived at the scene and launched a rescue operation. Everyone else in the convoy was protected. He said it was a "suicide bombing" and that authorities were gathering evidence. He further said that security measures have been strengthened at the scene and the bodies are being transferred to the hospital. Rescue officials said the vehicle carrying the Chinese passengers fell into the canyon and caught fire after the explosion. He added that the rescue team then arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire.
Pakistani President Zardari issued a statement strongly condemning the terrorist attack on the Dasu hydropower project, expressing deep condolences for the death of Chinese citizens, and expressing condolences to the families of the Chinese citizens who died and the Chinese government. He said that the anti-Pakistani elements' attempt to undermine Pakistan-China friendship will never succeed. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqwi also condemned the "suicide attack" and expressed "heartfelt condolences" to the families of the victims. He said the enemy had targeted citizens of friendly countries in which Pakistan had great confidence. This is an attack not only on Chinese citizens, but also on Pakistan. The enemy will pay a heavy price for this attack.
The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in Pakistan strongly condemned this terrorist act, expressed condolences to the victims of the two countries, and extended sincere condolences to the families of the victims. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates in Pakistan have immediately launched emergency work, demanding that the Pakistani side conduct a thorough investigation of the attack, severely punish the perpetrators, and take effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens, institutions and projects in Pakistan and ensure that such incidents do not happen again.
The Dasu Hydropower Project was undertaken by China Gezhouba Group. The total installed capacity is 5,400 megawatts, and the annual power generation capacity is about 12 billion kilowatt hours after completion. This is not the first time that the Chinese have been attacked in the region. In July 2021, a bus carrying them to the construction tunnel site of the Wadasu hydropower project exploded in the Verkhniy Kohistan region and crashed into a ravine, killing 13 people, including nine Chinese citizens.
Something worth noting
The suicide attack came a day after the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) Majid Brigade attacked the second-largest naval aviation base in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan. The Pakistani military said security forces killed all four attackers and killed one Pakistani soldier. There are reports that the Baloch Liberation Army is completely under command of India's Central Bureau of Investigation (RAW) forces. The armed forces have repeatedly attacked the Chinese.
Although no group has announced the attack, it has been determined in the past that it is not the Baloch Liberation Army or the Pakistani Taliban. It is known that it is the Pakistani Taliban who have a strong base in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On April 21, 2021, at least four people were killed and 12 injured in an explosion attack on a hotel in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province. At that time, the Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, Nong Rong, was staying at the hotel, but was out at the time of the incident. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the incident. The July 2021 attack on Chinese in the Dasu region was also alleged to have been perpetrated by the Pakistani Taliban.
In addition to this, ISIS-k (Islamic State Khorasan) may also be the attacker. Khorasan is also a threat to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the Taliban's return to Kabul. The group has attacked local police on several occasions.
In the face of the severe security situation of the Chinese in Pakistan, the Pakistani government specially organized 15,000 troops to ensure the safety of the Chinese in Pakistan. However, due to the large number of rebels in Pakistan, there are both the Baloch Liberation Army and the Pakistani Taliban. The Pakistani military is also out of reach. Therefore, the formation of a Chinese security company in Pakistan may be imperative.