New Delhi: After the death of nine Chinese engineers in an alleged terror attack in Pakistan, pictures viral on social media show Chinese workers in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, armed with AK-47 guns to defend themselves. .
On 14 July, Chinese engineers traveling to the Dasu Dam project in Pakistan’s northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were attacked. In a first-of-its-kind attack on Chinese citizens, nine engineers in the country were killed, prompting Beijing to send its team to investigate.
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The use of the AK-47 by Chinese citizens raises doubts about the efficacy of the two Special Security Divisions (SSDs) in Pakistan to protect Chinese workers and properties in the country. According to WionNews, these are 34 Light Infantry Divisions created in September 2016 and 44 Light Infantry Divisions created in 2020, each with 15,000 soldiers.
Chinese workers in Pakistan are engaged in the mega project CPEC, which is designed to connect the western region of China with the Gwadar port in the restive Balochistan province.
The project is important to China as it will give its products a wider market in the Middle East, but doubts are being raised about the project’s viability and financial impact.
China has deposited billions of dollars in addition to focusing on the safety of the Chinese citizens working on it. Beijing is offering Islamabad financial assistance on security aspects to ensure its expansion, but the Dasu attack raises concerns about workers’ safety.
A similar attack was carried out in Ormara on October 15, 2020, when 14 Pakistani security personnel were killed by Baloch terrorists after being pulled from a bus.
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