Pakistan Arrests 11 Islamist Militants for the Assassination of Chinese Engineers

Pakistani officials announced on Sunday that police forces have arrested 11 Islamist militants accused of involvement in a suicide bombing in March that resulted in the deaths of five Chinese engineers. This news was revealed during a press conference by Raees Tayer, head of the anti-terrorism police, and Mohsin Naqvi, the Interior Minister of Pakistan. According to the report, the detainees are members of the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, a movement that includes dozens of Sunni militant and sectarian Islamist groups. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan claims its goal is to overthrow the government and implement Islamic law. Raees Tayer stated that the mobile phone of the suicide bomber, through which he communicated with his contacts, led to the arrest of these suspects. He added that investigations and evidence indicate that these militants were receiving orders from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan leaders based in Afghanistan. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan had previously denied any involvement in this incident, and its spokesperson reiterated on Sunday that the group has expressed its positions regarding the mentioned attack. However, Mohsin Naqvi, the Interior Minister of Pakistan, stated, 'We have solid evidence proving that the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan militants operating from Afghanistan were involved in this incident.' A suicide bomber crashed a vehicle into the car carrying Chinese engineers who were working on one of the dams in northwestern Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of five Chinese engineers and their Pakistani driver. Kabul had previously stated that the increase in violence in Pakistan is an internal issue for Islamabad. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been tense in recent months. Islamabad claims that Kabul is not making efforts to rein in militant groups targeting Pakistan.