Chinese investigators have arrived in Pakistan to probe the recent suicide bomb attack that claimed the lives of five Chinese nationals, The News International reported. This incident, which occurred on March 26, marked the third major attack in little over a week on China-invested infrastructural projects in Pakistan, where Beijing has invested over USD 65 billion as part of its Belt and Road initiative.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with the Chinese team of investigators at Beijing’s embassy to brief them on the progress of the investigation so far. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, in which a suicide bomber targeted a convoy of Chinese engineers working on a hydropower project at Dasu in Pakistan’s northwest, resulting in six fatalities.
In response to the security concerns, Chinese companies overseeing operations at the Dasu and Diamer-Bhasha Dams have temporarily suspended civil work at the sites. Approximately 991 Chinese engineers were working on both projects, with local staff instructed to stay at home until further notice.
Despite the suspension at the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, work continues at the Mohmand Dam where 250 Chinese nationals are still on site. The GM of the Mohmand Dam, Asim Rauf, stated that the Chinese workers are satisfied with the security situation in the project area.
The situation remains tense as investigations into the attack continue, with hopes that normalcy will soon return and work can resume on these crucial infrastructure projects.