Unidentified gunmen open fire at Pakistan's Gwadar port, 8 killed
What's the story
Unidentified gunmen opened fire at Pakistan's Gwadar port authority building in the volatile Balochistan province on Wednesday, according to local media reports. In retaliation, security personnel have killed eight of the terrorists, Express Tribune reported. The attack was preceded by multiple explosions, for which the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility.
Gwadar
Gwadar is located near the Strait of Hormuz
Notably, Gwadar is located near the Strait of Hormuz, an important oil shipping route in the Arabian Sea. The port is critical to the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is part of Chinese President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative. China has invested extensively in mineral-rich Balochistan through its Belt and Road Initiative, including the development of Gwadar despite a decades-long separatist war
Twitter Post
Video footage of attack
🚨 The security forces have successfully 𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝟎𝟖 eight terrorists belonging to the BLA who carried out the attack on the Gwadar Port Authority.#Gwadar #Balochistan #Pakistan https://t.co/6thuySHtlU pic.twitter.com/YmMEyQSebq
— Eagle Eye (@zarrar_11PK) March 20, 2024
Baluchistan
Locals see Gwadar's development as an exploitation of their resources
Locals see Gwadar's development as an exploitation of their resources, resulting in fear of marginalization and displacement without equitable benefits. This mentality has created a breeding ground for different terrorist organizations, including the BLA, East Turkestan Islamic Movement, and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, reports said. These groups have aggressively worked to disrupt the CPEC project, targeting Chinese nationals and personnel connected with the development of Gwadar.