Nearly five Chinese nationals were killed in an explosion during an attack on their convoy by a suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday. Reportedly, the suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers travelling from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu, situated in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Regional police chief Mohammad Ali Gandapur said that five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed in the attack. As yet, none has claimed responsibility for the attack. Bisham Station House Officer (SHO) Bakht Zahir asserted that the incident was a suicide blast and the authorities concerned were collecting the evidence.

The Station House Officer further added that security arrangements were tightened at the spot and the bodies were being shifted to a hospital. He added that they will investigate from where and how the vehicle of a suicide bomber came and how it happened. Notably, this is the third major attack on Chinese interests in Pakistan within a week.

Previously, two attacks hit an airbase and a strategic port in the southwest province of Balochistan where China is investing billions in infrastructure projects. Several Chinese engineers and Pakistani construction workers have for multiple years been working on hydroelectric projects as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative in the western province of Khyber-Paktunkhwa.

Notably, Dasu is home to a significant dam project, has been a target of previous attacks. Earlier in 2021, the attack in Dasu resulted in the deaths of nine Chinese nationals, along with two Pakistani children. The incident occured when a bus carrying Chinese engineers and workers to the Dasu Hydropower Project site was targeted.

There was confusion surrounding the nature of the attack initially, with some reports suggesting it was a bus accident. Nonetheless, subsequent investigations revealed that it was indeed a terrorist attack. The bus was hit by a blast, leading it to plunge into a ravine.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday condemned the terrorist attack at a concert hall in Moscow and said that India stands in solidarity with Russia in this hours of grief.

The terrorist attack, that took place on Friday (March 22), killed more than 60 people and as many as 145 people were injured. Terrorists attacked when a crowd gathered for a performance by Russian rock band Picnic and set fire to the venue in a brazen attack, as per the reports.

PM Modi, taking to X, said that India strongly condemns the heinous terrorist attack in Moscow. Thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, he said.

India stands in solidarity with the government and the people of the Russian Federation in this hour of grief, he further said.

According to reports, five gunmen dressed in camouflage opened fire with automatic weapons at people at a concert in the Crocus City Hall near Moscow, killing at least 60 people and injuring 145 more in an attack claimed by Islamic State militants.

The reports also suggest that US intelligence agencies had learned the group’s branch in Afghanistan was planning an attack in Moscow and shared the information with officials in Russia.

The Russian Embassy in India expressed its sincere condolence to the families of those deceased and wished a speedy recovery to all those injured. As a sign of mourning and grief for the victims of the terrorist attack in Moscow, the Russian Embassy in India flies the national flag at half-mast, the Embassy said in a post on X.

The prime Opposition party in India, the Indian National Congress, strongly condemned the dastardly terrorist attack on innocent people in Moscow. Terrorism is the biggest threat to humanity and peace. Our heart goes out to the families of the victims and in this hour of sorrow, we strongly stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Russia and the Russian Federation, said INC president Mallikarjun Kharge in a post on X.

The United States today expressed its concern over the notification of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by the Indian government on March 11 and said it is closely monitoring the implementation of the Act in India.

State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, at his daily briefing, said that they were concerned about the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 on March 11. They have been closely monitoring this Act and how this Act will be implemented in India.

Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles, Miller added.

The Ministry of Home Affairs on March 11 notified the CCA rules for the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019, after it was passed almost five years ago. Notably, the Centre has reduced the qualification period of application for citizenship from 11 to 5 years for eligible migrants who came to India before December 31, 2014.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, taking to X on March 11, said the Modi government today notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024. These rules will now enable minorities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to acquire citizenship in our nation. With this notification PM Modi has delivered on another commitment and realised the promise of the makers of the constitution to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians living in those countries.

In a press statement, the central government clarified that Indian Muslims need not worry as the CAA will not impact their citizenship.

The Act will not be implemented in all Northeastern States, where an Inner Line Permit (ILP) is required for a visit by people from other parts of the country, including those given special status under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution. Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur come under the ILP.

The tribal areas, where Autonomous District Councils (ADC) were formed under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, were also exempted from the purview of the CAA, as per the government officials.