QUETTA: Gunmen have attacked a Pakistani security post in the resource-rich province of Baluchistan killing four paramilitary soldiers, officials said on Monday.
Separatists have for decades fought a low-level insurgency against the government in the southwestern province, which is seeing increasing investment in energy and infrastructure projects by China and others, including Saudi Arabia.
The Sunday attack in Panjgur district came as Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was arriving in Pakistan at the start of a tour of South Asia and China, which risks being overshadowed by escalating tension between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan.
"The four men suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died on the spot,” Khan Wasay, a spokesman for the Frontier Corps paramilitary force, told Reuters.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack but it bore the hallmarks of the separatists who have long complained that Baluchistan's gas and mineral resources are unfairly exploited by richer provinces, with little reward for the people of Pakistan's poorest province.
Pakistan has accused old rival India of supporting the Baluchistan separatists. India rejects that.
China has funded development of a deepwater port at Gwadar in south Baluchistan, and is also investing in other projects as part of the giant China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Saudi Arabia is expected to announce this week eight investment agreements, including a $10 billion refinery and petrochemicals complex in Gwadar.
Gunmen kill four soldiers in attack in Pakistan's Baluchistan
Gunmen kill four soldiers in attack in Pakistan's Baluchistan
- The province is marred by decades of low-level insurgency
- No group has claimed responsibility of the attack
UAE President arrives in Pakistan on first official visit, receives 21-gun salute
- Shehbaz Sharif receives the UAE president at Nur Khan Airbase as Islamabad was decorated with Emirati flags
- Talks are set to focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, energy and regional affairs
ISLAMABAD: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, arrived in Pakistan on Friday on his first official visit since assuming office, receiving a 21-gun salute as Islamabad and Abu Dhabi seek to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, energy and regional affairs.
The UAE president landed at Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, where he was welcomed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and members of the federal cabinet, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The national anthems of Pakistan and the UAE were played, and a guard of honor was presented by contingents of the Pakistani armed forces. State-run broadcasters and private television channels aired video footage of the UAE president’s arrival and ceremonial reception.
“During his visit, the President of the United Arab Emirates will meet the Prime Minister of Pakistan, during which bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues will be discussed,” an official statement circulated after Al Nahyan’s arrival said.
Earlier, the foreign office said the visit would provide an important opportunity to further strengthen the longstanding relations between the two countries.
It added the discussions between the two sides would explore ways to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, energy and development.
Islamabad was decorated with Pakistani and Emirati flags and large billboards carrying images of the visiting UAE president alongside President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Sharif ahead of the visit.
The Islamabad administration declared a public holiday in the capital, while traffic police announced an extensive plan to manage vehicular movement during the visit.
Pakistan considers the UAE one of its closest regional and economic partners. The Gulf state is Islamabad’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States and remains a major source of foreign investment.
Over the past two decades, Emirati investment in Pakistan has exceeded $10 billion, according to the UAE’s foreign ministry.
Pakistani policymakers also view the UAE as an important export destination due to its geographical proximity, which reduces transportation and freight costs.
