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Bus carrying engineers reportedly exploded on Wednesday.

Consequences of this incident will be bad. All major cpec projects will be stalled for months now and I wonder work on dhasu dam project will commence any time sooner. Security in charge of the project should be fired and demoted from his militarily rank.
 
Pakistan has had a long history with IEDs.... It's as if all IED manufacturers of the world have used Pakistan as a testing ground. Countless officers, generals, foot soldiers, patrols and foreigners have succumbed to them. And yet still, here we are, exploding on top of them left and right. I think martyrdom on top of IEDs is a policy instrument of the establishment.

Each engineer should be transported on a Separate APC with a bottom armor made of Titanium, Uranium, Kevlar, Diamond, Carbon Fiber, Graphene and Adamantium composite/alloy. Because, our intelligence agencies and bomb disposal squads cannot keep up with the IED technology of TTP. Using the technology I suggested for use in APCs, will definitely help us prevent embarrassing moments like the one that happened recently. Plus, we might be able to save a few useless lives of those FC soldiers who die in Balochistan daily.

(PS. they are useless for the establishment)

That's only part of it, main issue is failing to detect when they sneak in and place them. However, you are also wrong in that yes they are used extensively but attacks of all kinds have been reduced in recent years compared to even 5 years back.
 
If I were in the Chinese govt., I would be deeply suspicous and angry not only about the security lapse but also the callousness of the Pakistani authorities in responding to the attack.

This mitti pao attitude after the attack is going to cost us a lot going into the future.

This might be the most significant disruption in the CPEC project since its beginning.

The Chinese would be looking at the Indian angle but also would be analyzing the response of the Pakistani authorities.

Lets hope there conclusion is that this callousness was your average Pakistani incompetence and not any deliberate action to appease a certain country.
 
Traces of explosives found on Dasu bus, blast site: govt
"Beijing, meanwhile, reacted sharply to the incident by postponing a meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) scheduled for Friday. The meeting was to be held though video link.

CPEC Authority Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Asim Bajwa announced the postponement of the meeting on Twitter. “JCC-10 meeting on #CPEC which was scheduled to be held on 16th July 21, has been postponed to a later date after Eid. Fresh date will be shared as finalized. Meanwhile preparations continue,” he said.




Mr Lijian said Chinese government was taking the incident, which resulted in heavy casualty, very seriously and the Communist Party and state leaders had given “important instructions right away.”
"The Chinese delegation, which left Dasu for Islamabad at about 4pm, also questioned the investigation team, the IG and the commissioner about the incident."

Seems the Chinese wont take the killing of 9 of their engineers lightly.
 
Was this a terrorist attack or an accident ?

Terrorist attack, Confirmed.
Even they already named possible sponsors, either Pakistani taliban or Balochistan terrorist.



The Chinese work team has arrived in Pakistan and will coordinate with Pakistan. China hopes Pakistan can provide assistance and use all necessary means to investigate the attack and bring the terrorists involved to justice, Li stressed
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1228846.shtml


 
ISLAMABAD:
The meeting of Joint Cooperation Committee – the strategic brain of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor – was abruptly postponed on Thursday, underscoring the challenges that both the nations have to face due to changing regional security situation.

The decision to postpone the meeting was taken a day after nine Chinese and five Pakistani nationals were killed in an accident, which Chines authorities have described as a bomb attack but Pakistan initially termed it a vehicle failure. The meeting was scheduled for Friday (today).

China was expected to raise the issue of reenergising the CPEC, making the CPEC Long-Term Plan 2017-30 effective and issues being faced by Chinese companies working on the CPEC projects, including a delay in clearing their power generation dues.

“The JCC-10 meeting on CPEC which was scheduled to be held on July 16, 2021 has been postponed to a later date after Eid,” Asim Saleem Bajwa, chairman of the CPEC Authority, tweeted.

He said that a fresh date will be shared when finalised but in the meanwhile preparations continue.

Bajwa on Thursday received a call about the postponement of the meeting in the midst of a meeting that Planning Minister Asad Umar was holding with the provinces to sort out issues before the JCC, a senior official told The Express Tribune. He said that the Chinese were not happy the way Pakistan handled the bus attack issue.

The provision of security to the Chinese nationals and the CPEC assets was also included in the agenda of the 10th JCC meeting. The draft minutes of the JCC suggested that the Chinese were concerned that “changes in regional security situation further the security threats facing CPEC”.

The JCC meeting had been scheduled after a gap of 20 months. The last JCC meeting was held in November of 2019 when Khusro Bakhtiar was the minister for planning.

Planning Minister Umar and China’s National Development and Reforms Commission Vice Chairman Ning Jizhe were set to co-chair the all-important meeting that could have given a serious push to the stalled CPEC.

Pakistani officials have given contradictory statements about the reasons behind the killing of the Chinese nationals.

Read More: CPEC JCC to be held this month: envoy

Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that terrorism could not be ruled out from the Dasu bus tragedy in Kohistan, saying that initial investigations confirmed traces of explosives.

Earlier, Pakistan's foreign ministry said a mechanical failure caused a gas leak which led to the explosion.

On that day, 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals, had died when a coach carrying them to an under-construction tunnel site of the 4,300-megawatt Dasu hydropower project fell into a ravine in the Upper Kohistan area after an explosion.

On July 14, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Dushanbe and took up the issue of killing of the Chinese nationals.

Yi said the Chinese side was shocked by the serious Chinese casualties in Pakistan, hoping that the Pakistani side could quickly find out its cause, conduct rescue and treatment work at all costs, deal with the aftermath in time, and prevent similar incidents from happening again.

JCC discussion points

The sources said that both the sides were set to take up all issues that caused CPEC slowing down in past three years. A total of 27 projects, 17 fast-track and 10 priority ones had been identified for development under the first phase of the CPEC seven years ago. The fast track projects had been marked to be completed within the first year and the priority projects were planned to be completed within two to three years.

However, after seven years of the CPEC, only four fast-track projects have been completed while the work on the remaining six was under way.

The federal government blames Covid-19 for the slow progress on the CPEC projects but analysts said that the PTI government pushed the CPEC on the backburner as a policy.

Pakistani authorities said that the CPEC has achieved important early harvest targets and is entering a new development stage. The two countries were set to make fresh commitments for speedy execution as per the agreed timelines.

The sources said that there was possibility that both the sides would stress upon the need to implement the Long Term Plan (2017-2030) and to evaluate and “update” it accordingly.

The people-to-people contact, Emerging Technologies Maritime sector, mines and minerals and tourism in K-P, AJK and G-B were the new areas that are being included in the CPEC framework.

Energy Sector

A formal decision was expected to be taken on the inclusion of the 700 MW Azad Pattan hydropower project in the CPEC framework.

So far, nine power projects having 5,320 MW capacity with an investment of $8.2 billion have become operational. Another three projects with installed capacity of 1,920 MW are under construction. Pakistan gets one-third of its power supply from the CPEC projects.

However, the Chinese have expressed concerns over possible change in tax and tariff policies that could undermine Chinese investment in these power plants. The sources said that Pakistan would give commitments to keep the tax and tariff policies unchanged.

The Kohala Hydel Project, Azad Pattan hydro power project, SSRL Thar Coal Block-I 7.8 mtpa and SEC mine mouth power project and Gwadar Power Plant are the next energy projects that will be part of the CPEC.

China has also conveyed concerns over non-payment of about Rs208 billion as of end April to the CPEC power plants by the government.

“The Chinese side hopes to further increase the tariff settlement ratio to ensure the repayment of the bank loan and normal operation of the CPEC energy projects,” according to the government documents.

“As per the agreement on the CPEC energy project cooperation signed in 2014, the Chinese side hopes that the Pakistani side would get the article related to revolving account on the ground soon.” Pakistan had promised to set up the revolving fund to protect Chinese investors from the vicious circular debt cycle, but it did not honour the commitment.

The sources said that Pakistani authorities wanted that the Gwadar Port concessionaire company needed to fast track the implementation of the port operationalisation plan and accelerate development of the free zone.

It is expected that both the sides would announce achieving financial close of the 300 MW Gwadar coal-fired power plant by December 2021. New dates for starting construction work are expected to be four months after signing of the Power Purchase Agreement and Implementation Agreement.

The supplementary agreement for construction of three additional bridges at Eastbay Expressway will also be signed during the 10th JCC.
 
Fahd Husain has revealed some details regarding the incident in his latest article about Afghanistan. He says it was a car bomb attack.


The recent increase in terror attacks on security personnel and foreigners has already raised concern in government circles. Wednesday’s attack in Dasu on Chinese workers was initially described by Pakistani officials as an accident but on Thursday Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said terrorism could not be ruled out. However, Red Zone insiders have been able to piece together details of the attack which explains the initial confusion that was reflected through contradictory statements. The convoy of four cars had left the gated compound for the site early on Wednesday morning. The lead car carried security personnel which was followed by two buses with Chinese on board.

As this convoy came onto the road that was open to traffic, another car manoeuvred itself between the convoy. This vehicle was laden with explosives. The driver then rammed the car into the first bus and there was an explosion. However, the detonator malfunctioned and the explosives did not go off with full force. The driver of the second bus, on seeing the bus in front of him hit, tried to swerve but lost control and the bus plunged into the ravine, killing most people on board.

The initial confusion about the cause took place because there were no bullet holes on the vehicles and no IED was found. The bus that fell into the ravine was not hit either. It was only much later that the details were pieced together and the conclusion was reached that this was a well-planned terror attack. According to insiders, the Chinese authorities have been kept fully briefed on the facts. The body of the attacker has also been found and DNA sent for identification.

 
As this convoy came onto the road that was open to traffic, another car manoeuvred itself between the convoy.
When im on convoy security duty, i drive bumper to bumper behind the " asset's " vehicle. I dont even let air pass through our bumpers let alone a bike or car or pedestrian or animal yet i have never collided with any vehicle. New trend in Pak is of auto tranny vehicles which is difficult to accelerate sometimes, which is why i miss manual tranny with clutch. That clutch would let me glide behind asset's vehicle and accelerate instantly. On top of that i keep my eyes at least 250-300 m ahead on road to see whats happening and i always know whats happening behind me. My senses alert me as soon as i see any vehicle near my convoy driving rashly or cutting. I block it instantly myself or signal other veh to block it.

Been 12 years on and off in VIP security convoy duty, never let anything pass between through asset veh and security veh when im on duty.
 

The Chinese are not going to be happy. Both with the masterminds behind the attack and the incompetence of the current Pakistani security apparatus.

We might take it lightly the loss of our people but they don't.



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