China Halts 2 Pakistan Dam Projects Following Deadly Attack

Peshawar: Chinese contractors have suspended work on two significant dam projects in Pakistan following a suicide bombing that killed five Chinese engineers and a Pakistani driver this week, a provincial official informed AFP on Friday.

The companies have insisted that Pakistani authorities devise new security plans before reopening the sites, where approximately 1,250 Chinese nationals are currently employed, the official stated.

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Ensuring the safety of Chinese workers is a paramount concern for both nations, given that militants hostile to external influence frequently target them.

The engineers were attacked on Tuesday when a suicide bomber struck their vehicle on a mountainous road near one of the dam sites, causing their vehicle to plummet into a deep ravine upon detonation of explosives.

According to a senior official from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa interior department, China Gezhouba Group Company has suspended work on the Dasu dam in the province since Wednesday, while Power China has ceased work on the Diamer Bhasha dam, spanning two provinces.

"They have requested new security arrangements from the government," the official disclosed.

Approximately 750 Chinese engineers are involved in the Dasu Dam project, with an additional 500 working on the Diamer Bhasha Dam, the official added.

Movement of Chinese engineers has been restricted to their living compounds near the sites, the official further mentioned.

Although China has not issued a statement, it has repeatedly urged Pakistan this week to ensure the safety of its nationals.

Describing the countries as "iron-clad friends," China's foreign ministry urged Pakistan to "take effective measures to ensure the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects, and institutions."

Tuesday's attack prompted significant diplomatic activity at the Chinese embassy in Islamabad, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the foreign and interior ministers offering condolences promptly.

China's foreign ministry emphasized the strong ties between the two nations but stressed the importance of Pakistan taking "effective measures" to safeguard Chinese nationals, projects, and institutions.

Tuesday's assault occurred shortly after militants attempted to breach offices at the Gwadar deepwater port in the southwest, a critical component of Chinese investment in Pakistan.

Previously, in 2019, gunmen targeted a luxury hotel in Balochistan province overlooking the Chinese-backed deepwater seaport in Gwadar, resulting in at least eight fatalities.

Additionally, in June 2020, Baloch insurgents attacked the Pakistan Stock Exchange in Karachi, which is partly owned by Chinese companies, underscoring security challenges facing Chinese investments in Pakistan.