KARACHI: Two terrorists were killed by Pakistani security forces on Sunday when they attacked a military convoy carrying Chinese workers in the port city of Gwadar in the restive Balochistan province, officials said.
Gwadar is one of the focal points of the multi-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with many Chinese workers working at the port. China is investing heavily in Balochistan under the CPEC.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, the terrorists attacked at 10 am, using small arms and hand grenades.
“However, due to the efficient and swift response, two terrorists were sent to hell with no harm to any military or civil persons,” the ISPR said.
It said the military expressed its resolve to “thwart efforts of the enemies of peace and prosperity in the country”. There was no mention of any attack on Chinese workers in the statement.
The Baloch Liberation Army – Majeed Brigade, a militant group active in Balochistan, claimed responsibility for the attack. While Pakistani officials tried to downplay the Gwadar attack as just a terrorist act, the Chinese embassy in Islamabad demanded a “thorough investigation” into the attack on a convoy carrying Chinese citizens in the port city.
A statement issued by the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan stated that a convoy carrying Chinese citizens was attacked near the port of Gwadar but the “incident caused no casualties on the Chinese side, and the relevant personnel have been properly placed in safety”. The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan strongly condemned the terrorist act.
“The Embassy and the Consulate General in Karachi launched an emergency response immediately, requesting the Pakistani authorities to conduct a thorough investigation on the attack, severely punish the perpetrators, and take practical and effective measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again,” it read.
It also said that China will continue to work with the Pakistani side, to jointly counter the threats of terrorism and earnestly protect the safety of Chinese personnel, institutions and projects in Pakistan.
Given the current security situation, the Chinese Embassy reminds Chinese citizens in Pakistan to be vigilant and take preventive measures against security risks, to ensure the safety of their lives and property, it said.
Earlier, media outlets in Quetta reported that a convoy of Chinese engineers came under attack as they were passing through the main Gwadar town but reports said they had escaped any casualties or injuries.
An earlier statement by the ISPR said security forces launched an operation after the inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area, killing one militant and injuring three others.