Anti-China bias: How Chinese workers were killed in Pakistan

A tragic suicide bomb attack in northwest Pakistan has claimed the lives of five Chinese workers and their local driver, authorities reported on Tuesday, marking the latest in a series of terror incidents targeting Chinese interests in the South Asian nation.

According to Muhammad Ali Gandapur, a senior police official, the explosion occurred when a bomber drove a vehicle into the convoy transporting the workers from the capital to the Dasu dam, the largest hydropower project in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

This blast represents the third violent incident within a week to shake Pakistan, a crucial ally of China and a significant participant in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.

Despite the mounting security challenges facing Chinese projects in Pakistan, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The tragedy comes nearly three years after a bus explosion near the dam resulted in the deaths of 13 individuals, including nine Chinese workers, in another unattributed assault on the project.

Pakistan, already grappling with an upsurge in violence following the Taliban’s takeover in neighboring Afghanistan, has been further destabilized by militant and terrorist groups. Notably, the Pakistani Taliban denied involvement in Tuesday’s attack.

China swiftly condemned the incident, urging Pakistan to conduct a thorough investigation, apprehend the perpetrators, and ensure the safety of Chinese nationals, institutions, and projects.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar of Pakistan offered condolences and condemned the “heinous act of terrorism,” vowing to bring those responsible to justice.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani military characterized the attacks as attempts to disrupt the country’s internal security and its strategic alliance with China, accusing “certain foreign elements” of aiding terrorism within Pakistan.

China’s extensive investments in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key component of the Belt and Road initiative, have been met with mixed reactions from locals, particularly in regions like Balochistan, where separatist sentiments run high.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a prominent separatist group in Balochistan, has claimed responsibility for previous attacks targeting Chinese interests in the region.