In the wake of a recent tragic incident where five Chinese nationals fell victim to a suicide attack in Pakistan's volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, two additional Chinese companies have taken the decision to halt their operations on hydropower projects. This development emerged just three days after the unfortunate event, as per a media report released on Friday.
Following the footsteps of the Power Construction Corporation of China (PCCC), which ceased civil works at the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project in KP province, subsequently laying off over 2,000 workers, these companies have now paused their activities on the Dasu hydropower project. Situated approximately 300 kilometers north of Islamabad, the Dasu project, boasting a capacity of 4,320 MW, is being undertaken by China Gezhouba, financed by the World Bank.
The recent suicide attack marked the second such occurrence targeting personnel involved in China-backed hydropower projects since 2021. In light of security concerns, the Chinese entities have extended the suspension of civil work to encompass both the Dasu and Diamer-Bhasha dams. Consequently, about 1,000 Chinese engineers engaged in these projects have ceased operations, with local staff instructed to remain at home until further notice, as reported by The News International.
An official associated with the Dasu dam project verified the halt in operations by the Chinese company and the directive for local staff to remain off-site. The project, which employed approximately 741 Chinese nationals and 6,000 locals, has been impacted by this decision. Similarly, Nazakat Hussain, General Manager of the 4,800 MW Diamer-Bhasha Dam (DBD), confirmed the suspension of work by the Chinese company. While around 500 Chinese nationals were involved in the DBD, the Frontier Works Organisation's local staff, comprising about 6,000 individuals, continues their work.
However, there's a glimmer of normalcy as 250 Chinese engineers remain engaged in the Mohmand Dam project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, attested by Asim Rauf, the general manager of the dam. He conveyed that the Chinese personnel expressed satisfaction with the security situation in the project area, allowing them to continue their work unabated, as highlighted in The News International.
These developments shed light on the significant presence of Chinese personnel in Pakistan, actively contributing to various projects under the ambit of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
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