Balochistan Liberation Army militants claimed responsibility for an attack on a convoy of Chinese engineers in the southwest of Pakistan on Sunday, Agence France-Presse reported.
(Bloomberg) — Balochistan Liberation Army militants claimed responsibility for an attack on a convoy of Chinese engineers in the southwest of Pakistan on Sunday, Agence France-Presse reported.
The incident took place as the engineers were traveling to Gwadar Port, a Chinese-financed project, the report said, citing the group on the attack. No injuries were reported within the convoy, China’s Global Times said, citing unidentified “Chinese personnel” in Gwadar.
One militant was killed and three others were wounded in a gunfight with Pakistani security forces in Gwadar, Aaj News reported, without mentioning the Chinese engineers. Security forces have cordoned off the area, it said.
The attack took place a day after Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar was named caretaker prime minister until elections are held. Kakar is from Balochistan and there is no indication yet that the incidents are linked.
With the Taliban in control of Afghanistan, Pakistan had been concerned a spillover in terror activities could affect investments, including China’s Belt and Road Initiative. It has already faced pressure from Beijing, which called on the government to protect such projects after a bus explosion in July 2021 killed 12 workers, including nine Chinese citizens.
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