After suicide attack, Chinese company laid off employees, stopped operations in Pakistan
Power Construction Corporation of China (PCCC), a Chinese engineering firm, has reportedly suspended operations at the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and evacuated over 2,000 workers following a deadly suicide bombing. .
The decision was taken following an attack on a bus carrying Chinese workers that resulted in the death of five Chinese nationals and a nearby Pakistani resident, the second serious security incident in the region since 2021 involving Chinese-backed People associated with the project are included.
The attack on the bus took place at the Dasu hydropower project, about 300 km north of Islamabad, which is being developed by Chinese company China Gezhouba and funded by the World Bank.
It is surprising that Chinese personnel were targeted at this location earlier, with another suicide bombing in July 2021 resulting in multiple casualties among Chinese and Pakistani workers.
In particular, the PCCC was monitoring the expansion of the Tarbela Hydroelectric Project in the same province. According to government sources quoted by Dawn, the company has stopped civil work due to growing security concerns following the recent attack.
However, despite the halt in operations, the impact is expected to be minimal upon completion of the project. The project, which is being financially supported by the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, is scheduled for completion by May 2026.
Additionally, as per Pakistani employment laws, employees affected by retrenchment are entitled to receive 50 percent of their salaries until they are called back to their duties.
In response to the tragedy, the Chinese government has strongly condemned the suicide bombing and called for a thorough investigation. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered a thorough joint investigation to identify the culprits and ensure the safety of Chinese workers in Pakistan.
The presence of Chinese personnel in Pakistan is linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion dollar initiative focused on economic cooperation and increased connectivity between the two countries.