Attack on Chinese nationals in Gwadar: Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed the responsibility saying that it targeted Chinese convoy in Gwadar killing six Chinese nationals and three security personnel in its “Operation ZirPahazag”
BLA released a statement to media saying that the group’s ‘Majeed Brigade’ targeted a convoy of Chinese engineers in Gwadar on Friday. “These Chinese nationals were working on the exploitative China Pakistan Economic Corridor. At least 6 Chinese engineers and 3 security personnel were killed, whereas, several others were injured in this self-sacrificing attack,” it said.
The statement further read that Friday’s attack was part of Operation Zirpahazag, which was initiated by Majeed Brigade to protect Baloch coast and target the “occupying” Pakistani state and its regional partners that are involved in ‘exploitation” of Baloch natural resources.
BLA spokesperson, Jeeyand Baloch said that after the successfully executed operation of Majeed Brigade, the confused and defeated enemy opened fire on the children playing in a nearby football field, killing two and injuring several others. “Later the enemy forces cordoned off the area and collected the dead bodies of Chinese engineers. The enemy then cunningly tried to portray in the media that the children were killed due to the blast,” he added.
This self-sacrificing operation was carried out by BLA Majeed Brigade’s brave member Fidayee SirBuland Baloch. SirBuland was an educated young man from Parom in Panjgur. He was affiliated with BLA since last four years and voluntarily joined Majeed Brigade three years ago. Due to his young age he was given time to ponder upon his decision before carrying out any of Majeed Brigade’s operations. However, even after a long period of three years he staunchly stood by his decision and on Friday 20th August 2021 carried out a successful self-sacrificing operation. With a strong blow and inflicting heavy losses upon the occupying state and the exploitative China, he gave a clear message to the enemies that the Baloch Liberation Army has the full capability to carry out major attacks at any place of their choice. BLA salutes fidayee SirBuland Baloch on his gallantry and the ultimate sacrifice, the statement read.
However, despite BLA’s continuous warnings China has not only failed to stop its “exploitative” activities but has been actively supporting and strengthening the “occupying” state of Pakistan to counter the Baloch war of liberation, Jeeyand Baloch said. He went on saying that due to these offensive acts by China, BLA has targeted Chinese nationals and its economic interests in the region in past too. These include the attack by BLA Majeed Brigade on Chinese engineers in Dalbandeen on 11 August 2018, another attack on Chinese consulate in Karachi on 23 November 2018, attack on Pearl Continental Hotel in Gwadar on 11 May 2019 and the attack on Pakistan’s stock exchange on 29 June 2020 in Karachi.
The attack of 20th August 2021 is a continuity of such attacks by Majeed Brigade. BLA warned that if China continues to support Pakistani occupying state, fails to stop its exploitative projects and does not withdraw its nationals from Balochistan then BLA reserves the right to further intensify its attacks against the illegally stationed Chinese nationals and Chinese projects in Balochistan.
According to reports, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan on Saturday has strongly condemned the suicide attack targeting Chinese nationals. Embassy pressed Pakistan “to take practical and effective measures” to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future.
The Chinese Embassy in its statement, demanded Pakistan to “conduct a thorough investigation into the attack, and severely punish the perpetrators.”
“At the same time, relevant departments at all levels in Pakistan must take practical and effective measures to accelerate to implement strengthened whole-process security measures and upgraded security cooperation mechanism to ensure that similar incidents will not happen again,” the Chinese embassy said.
According to the embassy statement, the security situation in Pakistan has been severe for Chinese nationals for a while now. “There have been several terrorist attacks in succession, resulting in the casualties of several Chinese citizens,” the embassy statement said. It further reminded Chinese nationals living in Pakistan that “reduce unnecessary outings, and take effective security protections.”
While the Friday’s attack was confirmed by Ziaullah Langove, the Balochistan Home Minister, as a suicide attack. The Minister has however lashed out at the political parties for what he claimed no condemnation of the terror act so far. “No condemnation resolution submitted in the Balochistan Assembly”, he said.
Pakistan Army’s Commander Southern Command Lieutenant General Sarfaraz Ali, Chief Minister Balochistan, Jam Kamal Khan, Home Minister Ziaullah Langove and other government high-ups reached Gwadar, on Saturday.
CM Balochistan chaired a high-level meeting that thoroughly reviewed security arrangements in Gwadar and Makran belt, security sources said.
Security has been stiffed in and around the Gwadar, the city which was already considered as a red zone for the people of Balochistan. As per security sources, the personnel of Frontier Corps are also deployed along with Police in Gwadar to avoid the occurrence of any untoward incident.
This is not the first time that Chinese nationals have been targeted in Balochistan and Pakistan. Baloch “pro-independence” groups have carried out attacks against the Chinese in the past as well.
End of last month, a Chinese engineer who had recently arrived in Karachi city of Pakistan, was shot in a moving car by motorcyclist armed men in SITE area of the city. The Balochistan Liberation Front had claimed responsibility for that attack.
Whereas, On July 14, a bus carrying Chines nationals in the Dasu area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was bombed,. The attack resulted in killing 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals and left 28 other people injured.