The Karachi Blasts have shaken the already fragile foundation of Pakistan’s relationship with China. Weeks before the SCO Meet, on a quiet Sunday night, a convoy carrying Chinese engineers near Jinnah International Airport was targeted by a suicide bomber. This latest attack, claimed by the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), has sent shockwaves through both nations.
"Welcome To Karachi, City Of Peace"
– Sign board near the blast site in Karachi.
The irony! pic.twitter.com/C2ejOz3Slf
— Varun Kumar Rana (@VarunKrRana) October 6, 2024
The BLA focuses primarily on stopping Chinese nationals working on Pakistan’s Belt and Road projects. With the struggle for Balochistan freedom intensifying by the second, these blasts raise troubling questions about the future of the China-Pak Alliance. With Pakistan’s rejuvenated friendship with the US, foreign interference may also play a part in this bombing. Could this be the beginning of a fracture between the two allies?
The Karachi Blasts: What Happened?
Initially Pakistani Army/ISI tried to pass it as an 'Oil Tanker Blast', Now the Chinese embassy in Pakistan has issued a statement on #Karachi Blast, calls it an attack, 2 Chinese & many Pakistani dead.
Baluch freedom fighters have taken the responsibility of this attack pic.twitter.com/RJgchRKuJT— Mihir Jha (@MihirkJha) October 7, 2024
On a quiet Sunday night, a suicide attack targeted a convoy carrying Chinese engineers working on Pakistan’s Belt and Road projects. The BLA, a separatist group, claimed responsibility for the bombing. The Karachi Blasts shook Pakistan around 11 pm on Sunday. Reports state that Seven Chinese engineers were killed in these Karachi Blasts. Around sixteen others were injured in this suicide bombing carried out by Shah Fahad of their Majeed Brigade.
The attack involved a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) and was so powerful that it echoed across various parts of Karachi.
Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif condemned the Karachi Blasts as “heinous act,” vowing to protect Chinese nationals. However, the bigger question looms: is this attack an isolated incident, or does it point to larger forces? With an SCO coming up in a few weeks and Imran Khan’s pet radicals on the loose, these blasts has forced the Pakistan Army tanks to roam the streets. It seems that there is no peace in the nation made in the name of the religion of “peace”!
BLA: Extremists or U.S. Allies in the Shadows?
Ahead of #SCO meet, 7 Chinese nationals are reportedly dead, and 16 other persons, including Pak security personnel injured in a SVBIED blast in Karachi, Pakistan.
BLA has claimed responsibility for the attack, claiming it targeted a delegation of Chinese investors & engineers. https://t.co/aqdw5s3jZi pic.twitter.com/X95ia1cbrD
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) October 7, 2024
The BLA is notorious for targeting Chinese projects. They advocate for the independence of Balochistan. And they accuse the Pakistani administration of letting China exploit the province’s rich natural resources. Balochi residents claim that China, through its partnership with Islamabad, is robbing their land under the guise of economic development.
Hence, Balochi attacks on Chinese nationals are nothing new!
The BLA has a history of targeting Chinese interests in Pakistan, with assaults ranging from Karachi University to the strategic Gwadar port. But what’s intriguing is the possible backing of US interests. Some analysts suggest that the Karchi Blasts are a symtom of BLA’s increasing attacks on Chinese nationals, which align with the US’s larger geopolitical goals. Could the US be using the BLA to destabilize the China-Pakistan nexus?
Does Karachi Blast Indicate A “China-Pakistan” Breakup?
Mushroom cloud over Karachi as a massive blast rocks the city. pic.twitter.com/YezjIbspkf
— The Balochistan Post – English (@TBPEnglish) October 6, 2024
China has heavily invested in Pakistan, especially through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This CPEC is a part of the broader Belt and Road Initiative of China. The Port Qasim Power Generation Project, where the Chinese engineers were employed, is just one of many Chinese ventures in Pakistan.
Thousands of Chinese workers are involved in developing Pakistan’s infrastructure for neijing to exploit as it deems fit!
Hence, to Beijing, the region of balochistan is vital to its global ambitions.
However, with rising attacks, Chinese businesses and citizens are increasingly vulnerable. After this latest bombing, China may be pushed to reconsider its involvement. Despite official reassurances from Pakistan, the economically crippled Chinese administration may want to cut short its losses! The Chinese Embassy has issued a stern warning to its citizens, urging caution while demanding an investigation into the attack.
Hence, it seems to placte the Chinese for their loss, Pakistan has sent a “Diyah” to the nation. An $8 million Hydropower Project was put under the CPEC framework as compensation by the Shehbaz Sharif administration!
Prime Minister #ShehbazSharif has directed the inclusion of the $8 billion Diamer Bhasha Hydropower Project (DBHP) in the China-Pakistan🇵🇰🇨🇳 Economic Corridor (#CPEC) framework. The project, which aims to generate 18.1 billion units of electricity annually and store 6.4 MAF of… pic.twitter.com/3YNfU53Z3U
— Pakistan Economic Net (@NetPakistan) October 7, 2024
Karachi Blasts – US Interests, Pakistan’s Instability
⚡️Update: More visuals of the injured. Chinese delegation has reportedly come under attack. This could be a team of Chinese security detail of President Xi Jingping which landed in Pakistan ahead of SCO summit. Official confirmation awaited. pic.twitter.com/dBFZtZuSfb
— Raja Muneeb (@RajaMuneeb) October 6, 2024
Right before an SCO meet Pakistan’s internal struggles, especially in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunwa regions, have left it vulnerable and shamed. The PTI loyalists have forced the Pak Army to have tanks scoring the streets for rebels. While the official stance from both China and Pakistan is one of resilience, the truth may be different.
The Balochi independence is a BIG problem for Pakistan. And separatist groups like the BLA could help foreign forces like the US widen the rift between China and Pakistan. Since the US is eager to counter China’s global influence, it might be playing a quiet game of chess in this volatile region.
Could these bombings be a part of a broader strategy to undermine China’s foothold in Pakistan?
As Pakistan grapples with growing instability, China’s patience and economy are depleting fast. If Karachi Blast like attacks on Chinese nationals persist, Beijing might pull back its investments. Thereby, leaving Pakistan’s fragile economy to fend for itself. The recent Karachi blasts may just be a sign of things to come. Could this be the beginning of the end for the China-Pakistan partnership? Only time will tell. But for now, one thing is clear: both nations are walking on thin ice.