Growing attacks on Chinese nationals and their assets in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are raising concerns over Pakistan’s ability to ensure the safety of citizens and investments from its strategic ally, China.
On Tuesday, a suicide bombing claimed the lives of five Chinese engineers and their Pakistani driver. The group was traveling from Islamabad to a hydroelectric dam construction site in Dasu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, when their bus was targeted in Bisham city, located within KP’s Shangla district.
In response, China demanded a comprehensive investigation and enhanced security for its citizens. “We have urged Pakistan to implement effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals, institutions, and projects,” Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, declared.
To address these growing concerns, the Pakistani government held an emergency meeting on Wednesday, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The meeting was attended by Pakistani Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir, federal ministers, all chief ministers, chief secretaries, and inspector generals from the provinces, as well as representatives from Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, participating via video link, informed attendees that 982 Chinese nationals are currently working on seven different CPEC projects within Balochistan, alongside various private sectors. He mentioned that 5,690 security personnel are assigned to protect Chinese nationals involved in CPEC projects, in accordance with the SOPs from the Federal Ministry of Interior.
Despite substantial security efforts, the increase in militant attacks has led to a reconsideration of the presence of Chinese nationals in Pakistan. Notably, the recent suicide attack in Bisham has resulted in the suspension of work on the Dasu and Diamer-Bhasha dams, with 991 Chinese engineers reportedly contemplating leaving the country.
This trend of departure among Chinese nationals was previously observed in April 2022, following an attack by the Baloch Liberation Army’s (BLA) Majeed Brigade at Karachi University, which led to the departure of 40 Chinese teachers from Pakistan.
The BLA has recently intensified its “high-profile” attacks, including two major operations in Turbat and Gwadar as part of “Operation ZirPahazag” or “Protecting the Sea.” This campaign aims to target both Chinese and Pakistani interests, underscoring the BLA’s opposition to CPEC and other Chinese investments in Balochistan.
The BLA claims its Majeed Brigade killed over twenty-five personnel in Gwadar by targeting ISI and MI headquarters, and more than thirty military personnel in an assault on the PNS Siddiq Naval Airbase in Turbat.
In its statement, the BLA issued a stern warning to China against any commercial agreements with Pakistan, especially concerning CPEC, viewing them as an exploitation of Baloch resources. The BLA spokesperson stated, “If China does not halt its exploitative projects in Balochistan and cease its support for the occupying Pakistani army in the Baloch genocide, the Baloch Liberation Army reserves the right to launch severe attacks on illegal Chinese settlements and projects in Balochistan.”
Conversely, the Pakistani Army’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), characterized the recent attacks, including those in Gwadar and Turbat, as attempts to weaken Sino-Pak relations and destabilize the country. “Strategic projects and sensitive sites crucial for Pakistan’s economic progress and the well-being of its people are being targeted in a deliberate effort to impede our progress and sow discord between Pakistan and its strategic allies and partners, most notably China,” the ISPR statement read.