Rising terrorist activities in Pakistan are jeopardizing billions in Chinese investments tied to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). A hard-hitting report released Tuesday underscores that jihadist strongholds and separatist insurgencies pose an existential threat to Beijing’s regional ambitions.
Experts warn that persistent security breaches could result in civilian deaths, project halts, and reputational harm for China on the world stage. Dimitra Stylianou, contributing to Europe Wire, argues that China has moved past superficial assurances, pushing for concrete security enhancements like dedicated units and collaborative drills.
This evolution marks a subtle realignment: Pakistan remains key, but now faces performance-based stipulations. What began as brotherly rhetoric has morphed into a litmus test of reliability.
Key incidents paint a grim picture. The March 2024 Shangla suicide attack claimed six lives, including five Chinese engineers heading to the critical Dasu project. In October, a strike near Karachi Airport killed two more Chinese workers. Baloch militants have long menaced CPEC sites in their province.
Such attacks are fueling friction between the allies, with China voicing demands for ironclad protections. Official statements tout enduring cooperation, yet the disconnect between policy and practice raises doubts about Pakistan’s safeguarding prowess.
Compounding woes, ISIS-K’s 2025 activities reveal control slipping from state hands. Recruitment, assaults, and networks now infiltrate cities, cross borders, and hit strategic assets, defying official narratives of containment.
Across South Asia, assaults on Chinese citizens signal a coordinated terror wave, transcending groups and frontiers, centered perilously in Pakistan. For CPEC to endure, Islamabad must overhaul its security framework, or risk alienating its largest investor.