Attacks by separatist militants in the southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan aim to stop development projects that are part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, said Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
The attacks, which began on Sunday and killed more than 70 people, are the deadliest in years. They are carried out on ethnic lines by militants who want the resource-rich province to secede from Pakistan. It is home to major projects financed by China, such as a strategic port, a gold and copper mine.
"Terrorists want to stop the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and development projects," Sharif said at a government meeting, noting that the aim was also to worsen relations between Islamabad and Beijing.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is believed to be worth $65 billion in development commitments, is part of the Belt and Road Initiative. of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Pakistan is unable to fully build the infrastructure needed to exploit the resources in Balochistan province, where poverty levels are high, and has sought Beijing's help.
China strongly condemns the attacks in Pakistan and will continue to provide strong support to Islamabad in the fight against terrorism, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry told reporters.
In the past, Beijing has expressed concern about the safety of its nationals working on projects in Pakistan, most notably in Balochistan. Six Chinese engineers working on a dam project were killed in March in northwest Pakistan.