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Pakistan’s Instability: A Doorway for Greater Chinese Influence?
With $60 billion invested in Pakistan, China is growing increasingly concerned that escalating terrorist attacks could threaten its investments and endanger the safety of Chinese nationals. Recent attacks by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) have specifically targeted Chinese interests in areas hosting key Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects. The BLA warned China and other global investors to steer clear of the region while it remains under Pakistani control, vowing to attack both economic and military assets.
Earlier this month, two Chinese engineers were killed in an explosion near Karachi’s international airport. They were employees of the Port Qasim Electric Power Company, a major Chinese investment and a flagship BRI project in Pakistan. Following the attack, China’s Minister of State Security, Chen Yixin, urged Pakistan to strengthen its early warning systems, risk assessments, and emergency response capabilities to better safeguard Chinese interests against terrorist threats.
The BLA also attacked the Gwadar port, a critical node in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). These assaults have heightened fears over the safety of thousands of Chinese workers deployed across Pakistan. Chinese expatriates now live in heavily secured housing blocks with restricted movements, underscoring the rising threat level and eroding confidence in Pakistan’s ability to protect its citizens.
Pakistan’s Planning Minister, Ahsan Iqbal, has suggested that Baloch separatists may be finding sanctuary in Afghanistan. In response, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, chair of the Pakistan-China Institute, called for a joint Pakistani-Chinese intelligence and counterterrorism partnership to safeguard Chinese investments. Since the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan in 2021, militant activity—including that of the Baloch separatists and the Pakistani Taliban—has intensified across Pakistan.
If Pakistan fails to meet its security obligations, China may be forced to take a more direct role in the country’s internal affairs. Such involvement risks upsetting the delicate power balance between China and India, further intensifying regional tensions.
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