Tragedy struck on Sunday as two separatist militants launched an attack on a convoy transporting Chinese workers to a Beijing-financed port project in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. The assailants lost their lives in the confrontation, according to officials.
The targeted attack aimed at a convoy carrying Chinese workers to the Gwadar port project in Pakistan’s southwest led to the deaths of the two militants. A spokesperson for China’s consulate in Karachi assured that none of its nationals were harmed during the attack. Chinese authorities issued a statement urging their citizens to exercise heightened vigilance.
Baloch separatist groups have previously claimed responsibility for attacks on projects associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This corridor, a significant element of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, aims to connect China’s Xinjiang province to the Gwadar port in mineral-rich Balochistan. The Chinese-Pakistani partnership has seen thousands of security personnel deployed to safeguard projects and counter threats against Beijing’s interests.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) asserted that two of its fighters were involved in a “self-sacrificing” attack on the convoy heading to Gwadar port. A senior police official confirmed the demise of the attackers and stated that three Pakistani soldiers were wounded in the confrontation.
China’s consulate in Karachi conveyed its request to Pakistan, calling for stringent action against the perpetrators and effective measures to ensure the security of Chinese citizens, institutions, and projects. The consulate clarified that the attack involved roadside bombs and gunfire, with no Chinese nationals sustaining casualties.
The BLA, known for magnifying its achievements, claimed that four Chinese workers and nine Pakistani soldiers were killed in the attack, a claim contested by official sources.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has attracted significant investment, playing a pivotal role in the Belt and Road Initiative. The project has witnessed substantial funding channelled into extensive transport, energy, and infrastructure endeavours. The CPEC aims to bridge China’s western Xinjiang province with the Gwadar port, though the region has been a hotbed of separatist sentiments due to perceived inequities in resource distribution.