Rising militant attacks on multibillion-dollar Chinese infrastructure projects in Pakistan’s resource-rich Balochistan province are testing the historically staunch alliance between Islamabad and Beijing, often described as an “Iron Brotherhood.” Due to the growing danger to its citizens and investments, China is heavily pressing Pakistani authorities to secure the region.

Balochistan serves as a critical hub for China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The flagship program, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has received roughly $65 billion in Chinese funding since its launch in 2015. The investment targets energy generation, mineral extraction, special economic zones, and sweeping road and rail developments.

However, the province—which shares borders with Iran and Afghanistan—has long been the epicenter of an ethnic Baluch insurgency. Separatist militants frequently target railways, electricity towers, and gas pipelines, but Chinese projects have recently become their primary focus.

In the first six months of this year, the armed separatist group known as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) executed more than 100 attacks targeting foreign investments, as well as police, military, and paramilitary forces. This month alone, Baluch insurgents have killed at least 42 Pakistani military and police personnel. In a major escalation in March, militants hijacked the Jaffar Express train, taking hundreds of passengers hostage.

While Pakistan frequently accuses neighboring India and Afghanistan’s Taliban regime of sponsoring the border-region militants, analysts point to deep-seated historical grievances. The BLA seeks an independent Balochistan and accuses both Islamabad and Beijing of exploiting the region’s vast natural wealth. Despite being Pakistan’s largest province by area and boasting a strategic location, Balochistan remains the country’s most impoverished and underdeveloped territory.

The threat to Chinese nationals is explicit. In a 2019 video addressed directly to Chinese President Xi Jinping, the BLA warned: “You still have time to quit Balochistan,” threatening attacks “you will never forget.”

Since then, a steady cadence of deadly violence, largely claimed by the BLA or its affiliates, has plagued Chinese workers:
– In July 2021, a suicide bombing hit a bus headed to the Dasu hydropower project in northwestern Pakistan, killing 13 people, including nine Chinese workers and engineers. The attack prompted Beijing to temporarily suspend its personnel from the site.
– In April 2022, a female suicide bomber killed three Chinese nationals at the University of Karachi’s Confucius Institute.
– In March 2024, a suicide attack on the Karakoram Highway killed five Chinese nationals employed at the Dasu Dam.
– In October 2024, a vehicle-borne explosive struck a convoy near a high-security zone at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, killing two Chinese citizens and injuring several others.
– In February 2025, an improvised roadside bomb targeted a convoy linked to the Chinese-operated Saindak gold and copper mine. The blast injured eight people, including six Pakistani security personnel and two unidentified individuals.

In response to Beijing’s persistent protests, Pakistan has deployed multilayered security across Balochistan. China is now reportedly considering deploying its own security personnel to the region to protect its citizens and assets.

Diplomatic efforts are intensifying to manage the crisis. On July 16, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Shanghai, where the two agreed to jointly “consolidate counterterrorism security guarantees.” Days prior, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met with Chinese Deputy Minister of Public Security Ling Zhifeng at the United Nations in New York. Naqvi stated that Pakistan intends to take “security cooperation with China to the next level” by launching a Special Protection Police Force strictly for Chinese projects and citizens.

At the center of the security and economic struggle is Gwadar Port, widely considered the crown jewel of CPEC. Providing China with direct, shorter access to the Arabian Sea, the deep-sea port sits just 180 nautical miles from the vital Strait of Hormuz. Envisioned by developers as “Pakistan’s Dubai,” Gwadar’s ongoing development features connecting roads, economic zones, and public welfare initiatives. In 2025, China finalized the construction of Pakistan’s largest airport in Gwadar, completing the project at a cost of approximately $230 million.