'China-Pakistan Economic Corridor' Under Threat? 5 Chinese Nationals Killed By Terrorists; Turbat Naval Air Base Attacked

Pakistan today witnessed a series of terrorist attacks and anti-terrorist operations in many parts of the country. Several terrorists attacked the Turbat naval air base in Balochistan while in another suicide bombing attack, five Chinese nationals were killed at Besham city of Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. In another anti-terror operations details of which was released earlier today, Pakistani security forces killed at least four terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province yesterday. The operation took place on Monday in the Dera Ismail Khan district. Following the attack, PM Shehbaz Sharif paid a visit to the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad.

Suicide Bombing

As per reports, five Chinese nationals were killed in Besham city. The Chinese nationals were travelling in a vehicle when another explosive-laden vehicle rammed into it killing all the occupants. Both the vehicles fell into the gorge. The videos that have gone viral on social media show plumes of smoke and fire rising from the valley. The Chinese engineers were on their way from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu. 

Visuals by Pakistan media:pic.twitter.com/sFZ2aMA7k6 — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) March 26, 2024

Pakistan's privatisation Minister Abdul Aleem Khan termed the attack 'incredibly upsetting'. “The enemy is targeting Pak-China friendship and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under a well-thought conspiracy but the nation, along with the Pakistan Army, will thwart all evil plots,” he said on X.

اسلام آباد سے کوہستان جانے والے چینی باشندوں پرخودکش حملہ انتہائی افسوسناک اورقابل مذمت ہے۔قیمتی جانوں کے ضیاع پر دُکھ ہے۔ دشمن پاک چینی دوستی اورسی پیک کو سوچی سمجھی سازش کے تحت ٹارگٹ کر رہا ہے لیکن قوم پاک فوج کے ساتھ ملکر تمام مذموم سازشیں ناکام بنائے گی۔میری تمام ہمدردیاں…

— Abdul Aleem Khan (@abdul_aleemkhan) March 26, 2024

Attack On Turbat Naval Air Base

Baloch militants armed with weapons attempted to breach a key naval air base in Pakistan's volatile Balochistan province on the intervening night of March 25-26. However, security forces successfully thwarted the assault, resulting in the elimination of all four terrorists. The incident occurred on Monday night in Turbat, a district known for its unrest within the scarcely inhabited province. Makran Commissioner Saeed Ahmed Umrani informed the media that security forces effectively prevented an armed terrorist incursion at the PNS Siddique Naval Air Base, one of the largest naval air stations in the nation.

The banned Balochistan Liberation Army claimed that its Majeed Brigade was behind the attack. This is the third major attack on security forces and installations this year in Balochistan claimed by the BLA with the first two attacks being also being repulsed by security forces.