The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a cornerstone of the strategic partnership between China and Pakistan, promising significant economic benefits for both the iron brothers. However, the safety and security of the Chinese workers and engineers involved in CPEC projects in Pakistan have become a pressing concern due to a spate of targeted terrorist attacks from Baloch separatists and their allied militant groups especially the Taliban. Therefore, catalysts believe that addressing these concerns is crucial to ensure the continuity and success of the CPEC as well as the friendly ties of the two neighbours.
The Importance of CPEC, which is a flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aims to enhance connectivity and cooperation between China and Pakistan through a network of infrastructure projects, including roads, railways, and energy pipelines. With an investment of $62 billion, CPEC is expected to boost Pakistan’s economy by creating jobs, improving infrastructure, and fostering regional integration. But despite the economic promise, CPEC has faced significant security challenges. Terrorist groups, particularly the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), have targeted Chinese nationals working on these projects in Pakistan. High-profile terror attacks from Karachi to Gwadar have underscored the vulnerability of Chinese nationals. The BLA has demanded that China close down the CPEC and quit Balochistan. The group has repeatedly warned Beijing against signing more CPEC deals with Islamabad, besides decrying the Chinese involvement in the Gwadar seaport project.
Ensuring the safety of Chinese workers is essential for the smooth completion of the CPEC projects.
According to security analysts, most insurgent attacks on Chinese interests in recent months have dealt a severe blow to the myth of foolproof security having been provided to Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan. These attacks further aggravate security concerns for Beijing, which is the largest foreign investor in the country. On the other hand, Pakistan blamed “foreign elements” for the terrorist attacks on Chinese citizens, which it says are aimed at harming the Pak-China relationship and damaging the CPEC.
These terrorist attacks in the highly secured Pakistani areas have not only resulted in tragic loss of lives but have also shaken the confidence of Chinese investors in Pakistan’s ability to provide a safe and secure working environment.
This has caused rumours that China is no more enthusiastic about forging ahead with new CPEC schemes. Some media reports have even claimed that little of substance was achieved during the Pakistani prime minister’s recent tour of China, particularly where the CPEC file was concerned. But the official statements from both sides reflected an air of normalcy. In his meeting with Premier Shehbaz Sharif, President Xi Jinping expressed the hope that Pakistan would “create a safe, stable and predictable business environment” that would “guarantee the safety of Chinese” personnel and projects. On the other hand, a senior official from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has maintained that the terrorist activities targeting Chinese workers involved in the CPEC projects are part of a broader conspiracy against CPEC. During a recent meeting with a delegation of Pakistani journalists, Shen Wei, Deputy Director of the Department of Asian Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, reiterated that the exemplary friendship between China and Pakistan will thwart the nefarious designs of those conspiring against the CPEC project. He said the Pakistani leadership has assured Chinese leadership that those responsible for such actions will face strict accountability, and their networks will be dismantled to ensure their elimination. The Chinese official strongly refuted any notion that either Pakistan or China is considering limiting or withdrawing from the scope of the CPEC project.
Political analysts believe that given the sensitivity of the situation, Chinese concerns should not be taken lightly, especially at a time when Pakistan needs as much as foreign investment it can get. Therefore, ensuring the safety of Chinese workers is essential for a smooth completion of the CPEC projects, which are vital for Pakistan’s economic growth. Even otherwise, China is Pakistan’s closest ally, and addressing their security concerns is crucial for maintaining strong diplomatic and economic ties. By addressing these concerns through enhanced security measures, intelligence sharing, community engagement, and technological solutions, Pakistani authorities can ensure the continued progress of CPEC projects besides strengthen the brotherly bond between the two nations.
On the other hand, Pakistani security officials claim that stringent measures are being taken under a comprehensive policy to eliminate terrorists involved in attacks against Chinese citizens. In this regard, intelligence sharing with Chinese authorities is also ongoing. These officials claim that not only BLA and TTP militants are involved in targeting Chinese citizens in Pakistan, but a militant group of Uighur separatists from China’s Muslim majority Xinjiang province, is also contributing to these acts. Founded by Hasan Mahsum, East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) seeks to establish an independent state in Xinjiang. Hundreds of its militants migrated to the bordering North Waziristan almost two decades ago, where they developed a deep connection with the Taliban elements that persists to this day.
According to Pakistani officials, after the killing of Hasan Mahsum in 2003 by the Army, a good number of ETIM militants had been arrested and handed over to China. They subsequently shifted their jehadi network to Afghanistan from where they are operating now. However, it is also a bitter reality that the series of attacks on Chinese citizens in Pakistan has not stopped. Therefore, it is essential to take robust measures and uproot the network of terrorists involved in these attacks to save both Pak-China relations and the CPEC project.
The writer is a senior journalist known for his research-oriented books on Islamic militancy and terrorism in Pakistan.