In the wake of a devastating suicide bombing that claimed the lives of five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, authorities have made significant strides in the investigation, culminating in the arrest of 12 individuals, including the alleged mastermind.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), spearheading the probe, has attributed the attack to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group, as reported by The Express Tribune newspaper.
The assault occurred while Chinese engineers were en route from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu, situated in the Upper Kohistan district, when a suicide bomber targeted their vehicle in the Bisham area of the Shangla district.
According to CTD sources, Hazrat Bilal, believed to be the mastermind behind the attack, was apprehended.
Bilal, who allegedly facilitated the suicide bomber from Afghanistan, is also implicated in prior assaults targeting Chinese interests.
The investigation revealed that the explosives-laden vehicle was smuggled through the Chaman border to Dara Zinda town in the Dera Ismail Khan district for a sum of Pakistani Rs 0.25 million.
Moreover, the vehicle was kept at a petrol station, charging Pakistani Rs 500 per day.
Additionally, two facilitators were detained in Balochistan as part of the ongoing crackdown, with authorities indicating their links to TTP militants in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, a joint probe between Chinese experts and Pakistani authorities has commenced, aimed at unravelling the circumstances surrounding the attack and ensuring the safety of Chinese nationals, particularly those involved in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.
The tragic incident, marking the second such attack on Chinese personnel at the Dasu power project, has prompted swift condemnation from both Pakistan and China, with calls for rigorous investigations and enhanced security measures to protect workers involved in bilateral projects.
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