By Afshain Afzal

Three people were killed and 10 injured on Sunday night 6^th October 2024, when a convoy of Chinese engineers was attacked near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan. The attack was foreign-Intelligence-crafted in collaboration with locals, and illegal immigrants to discourage Chinese investment in power projects. Initial reports indicated solar competitors from Indian Mumbai are behind the attack but names of other local and foreign competitors are also most likely. Pakistan’s Intelligence agencies have claimed the explosion was a "terrorist attack" targeting a convoy of Chinese engineers. Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement, “this deplorable act of terrorism is an attack not only on Pakistan but also on the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China. We remain resolute in bringing to justice those responsible for this cowardly attack, including the Majeed Brigade.”

A statement from the Embassy of China, Islamabad said, “At around 11 pm on October 6th, a convoy carrying Chinese staff of the Port Qasim Electric Power Company (Private) Limited was attacked near the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, which caused two Chinese died, one Chinese injured and some local causalities.” The Chinese Embassy has called for a thorough investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice and has reminded Chinese citizens. Meanwhile, most of the the foreign news agencies reported almost similar substance, “The separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which has in recent years carried out attacks on Chinese nationals involved in development projects in Pakistan, has said it carried out the attack. The militant group said it had targeted a high-level convoy of Chinese engineers and investors arriving from Karachi airport. A later statement from the group described it as a suicide attack, and named the perpetrator as Shah Fahad, part of a BLA suicide squad called Majeed Brigade. The attack was carried out using a "vehicle-borne improvised explosive device”.

These Engineers were working at 1320 MW Coal-fired Power Plant at Port Qasim Karachi by Port Qasim Electric Power Company (Private) Limited, jointly owned by Power Construction Corporation of China and Qatari investment firm Al Mirqab Capital. In addition, Chinese company Power China has shown interest in conversion of imported coal power plants on local coal and construction of underground powerhouse and other generation system works of Diamer-Bhasha hydropower project. Power China, China Huaneng and SPIC have started to invite professional institutes to conduct a detailed study on the coal conversion, which covers the cost of power plant renovation, economic analysis of using Thar lignite coal, and other policy and commercial issues. Power China which is already working on RCC Dam (MW-1) Part of Bhasha Project is also participating in the bidding for the second phase of underground power house and other generation system works.

The Baloch nationalists have denied any involvement attack on Chinese Engineers and claimed that as a tradition our names are taken to launch operations against us and settle outsiders. The latest geo-political developments are also linked with the attacks where Russia has removed the name of 'Taliban' from ‘Terrorist List’ while earlier a number of Central Asian states including Kyrgyzstan and China established relations with Afghanistan. Last year, China nominated its Ambassador Mr Zhao Sheng at Kabul. Pakistan is also hosting leaders' summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which many blocks fear robust quick start investments and development. Initial investigations revealed foreign and local competitors are behind this attacks and earlier attacks on the Chinese. With a fear by competitors that the Chinese would sweep all works of constructing future power generation systems in Pakistan, attack was carried out to demoralize Chinese and other investors.