Karachi/Islamabad: Two terrorists were killed by Pakistani security forces when they attacked a military convoy carrying Chinese workers in the port city of Gwadar in the restive Balochistan province, officials said. Gwadar is one of the focal points of the multi-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor with many Chinese workers working at the port. China is investing heavily in mineral-rich Balochistan under the CPEC.
According to the military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations the terrorists attacked at 10 am, using small arms and hand grenades. “However, due to the efficient and swift response, two terrorists were sent to hell with no harm to any military or civil persons,” the ISPR said. It said the military expressed its resolve to “thwart efforts of the enemies of peace and prosperity in the country”. There was no mention of the Chinese workers in the statement.
The Baloch Liberation Army Majeed Brigade, a militant group active in Balochistan, claimed responsibility for the attack. The BLA and other militant groups say Pakistan exploits the province’s natural resources and have targeted Chinese interests in recent years for supporting that. Gwadar is located near the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil shipping route in the Arabian Sea, and is being developed under Chinese management.