China Asks Pakistan To Probe Suicide Attack on Chinese Citizen

Beijing: China on Wednesday asked Pakistan to “thoroughly investigate” and “hunt down” perpetrators behind Tuesday’s suicide attack on Chinese citizens amid speculation that Beijing may push Islamab to accept its security agencies to guard CPEC projects following a spike in attacks on m in last few days. At least five Chinese nationals were among six persons killed on Tuesday when an explosives-packed vehicle rammed into ir bus in Pakistan's troubled province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in second suicide attack on personnel working on China-backed hydropower project since 2021.

“China asks Pakistan to thoroughly investigate incident as soon as possible, hunt down perpetrators and bring m to justice,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a media briefing here when asked about Beijing’s response to suicide attack, second on Chinese nationals in area since 2021.

Notwithstanding recurring terror attacks, China continues to back Pakistan, its iron-cl ally to protect thousands of its nationals working on USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.

Lin said, “China firmly supports Pakistan in fighting terrorism. China and Pakistan have resolve and capability to make terrorists pay price.” “Our two countries are all-wear strategic cooperative partners. Our iron-cl friendship is deeply rooted in two peoples. No attempt to sabotage China-Pakistan cooperation will ever succeed", he said.

He declined to comment on reports that new Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Beijing in coming days.

It is customary for Pakistan leers to visit China after assuming office. Earlier reports said Sharif may seek more Chinese investments to bail out cash-strapped Pakistan economy.

Concerns about safety of thousands of Chinese personnel working in USD 60 billion CPEC are mounting here as it was third major attack on Chinese projects in Pakistan in a week.

Earlier, militants targeted a naval airbase and strategic Gwar port, prime project of CPEC connecting with China’s Xinjiang.

Meanwhile, in Islamab Prime Minister Sharif on Wednesday ordered a thorough joint investigation into dely terrorist attack on Chinese nationals.

Chinese analysts say that attacks are being carried out by Islamic religious extremist groups besides separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which is opposed to China's investments in Balochistan and accuses China and Pakistan of exploitation of resource-rich province.

disquieting factor for China is militants are resorting to suicide bomb attacks making it difficult for security agencies to prevent m.

Chinese experts believe latest attack is a copy of July 2021 Dasu terror attack in which nine Chinese nationals and four Pakistani people were killed.

Qian Feng, director of Research Department of National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, called this terrorist attack a “copy” of 2021 attack. “ project is located in remote mountainous terrain in a valley, where religious extremists and terrorist forces are very active. And ir method of attack is similar,” Qian told state-run Global Times.

Qian said culprits of this attack are yet to be found out, and this case should serve as a wake-up call for Pakistan that improving security situation in Pakistan is still a long and arduous task, requiring joint efforts from all parties.

Earlier reports from Islamab said China has been pressing Pakistan to permit its agencies to provide security for Chinese personnel but Pakistan, which deployed a special force, was averse to Chinese boots on ground.

“re will be concerns and reservations from China about effectiveness of security,” he said, ding that Pakistan was responsible for arranging security at hydropower station.

“Why was [Pakistani security] unable to stop attack?” Abdul Basit, an associate research fellow at S Rajaratnam School of International Studies with Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University told Hong Kong based South China Morning Post.

Basit predicted that attack might encourage Chinese companies to hire ir own security personnel, one of major points of contention between two countries.

“China has been pushing Pakistan to allow private Chinese security companies to come and do security for Chinese projects in Pakistan,” he said, ding, “Pakistan, of course, has refused that till now because if y do that, it would reflect poorly on Pakistani security institutions.” Zhu Yongbiao, a professor at Lanzhou University’s School of Politics and International Relations, said attack might affect China’s investment in Pakistan but would not have a major influence on two countries’ economic cooperation.

“Overall speaking, Pakistan’s terrorism situation is deteriorating sharply. Due to China and Pakistan’s special relationship, large amount of Chinese investment and personnel will become a target more easily,” Zhu said.

“ current investment from China may not be cut. However some ditional investment projects might be suspended temporarily,” Zhu said.