The News International, one of Pakistan's largest English-language media outlets, reported on September 25 that the Pakistani Frontier Corps had raided a terrorist hideout in Kharan, Balochistan, and that six terrorists, including two key members, had been killed in the exchange of fire. During interrogations, Pakistan's Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and law enforcement agencies (LEA) found that the terrorists had previously been involved in the 2019 attack on Chinese at the Pearl InterContinental Puerto Gwadar.
On the same day, Pakistan's Counter-Terrorism Ministry also arrested three terrorists who facilitated the 2019 Gwadar attack in Turbat, Balochistan Province, and seized explosives and grenades.
Sources said that on September 21, local time, Pakistan's Anti-Terrorism Ministry received news that a member of the terrorist organization "Balochistan Liberation Army" appeared at the market in Turbat and was planning to launch a terrorist attack on the public, law enforcement agencies and government facilities. According to this news, the relevant departments of the Pakistani government launched two raids to defuse the attack.
During the interrogation, a terrorist named Arif confessed that the mastermind of the attempted attack was a man named Rasool Bux from the Chabahar region of Iran's Sistan-Balochistan province. He also revealed that Rasul Bacchus had transported four terrorists who launched the 2019 attack on the Pearl InterContinental Hotel in Puerto Gwadar in a ship, and that it was his brother who was in charge of driving the ship at the time.
On May 11, 2019, a terrorist attack on the Pearl InterContinental Near the Gwadar Port Free Zone in Pakistan killed one hotel security guard and injured several people (no Chinese citizens were affected). The Majid Brigade, a subordinate of the Balochistan Liberation Army, then claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that "the attack targeted Chinese and other foreign investors in the hotel" and demanded that "all foreign forces, especially the Chinese side, immediately withdraw from the Balochistan project, otherwise they will face a larger attack."
InterContinental Puerto Gwadar. (Pictured from Pakistan Media)
The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded at the time that China strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the Pearl Intercontinental Hotel in Gwadar, expressed its condolences to the Pakistani personnel who died in the attack, and expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the injured.
The Pakistani security forces have taken timely measures to quickly eliminate terrorists and effectively guarantee the security and stability of the Gwadar region and the security of Chinese personnel and institutions on the ground. China will continue to firmly support Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts and believes that the Pakistani government and military have the ability to maintain national security and stability.
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