The Pakistan Army has asserted that the suicide attack which killed five Chinese engineers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was orchestrated in Afghanistan by an Afghan national.

Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the spokesperson for the Pakistan Army, relayed this during a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday.

He detailed that the assault, which targeted a convoy in the Besham area of Shangla, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 26, was premeditated in Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of the engineers.

Chaudhry emphasised that the suicide bombing had transnational connections, with the planning and execution managed in Afghanistan. He further mentioned that the terrorists and their facilitators, including the suicide bomber, had all been based in Afghanistan.

The incident occurred when a vehicle carrying Chinese engineers, en route to inspect the Dasu hydropower project, was targeted. The attack also claimed the life of the vehicle’s Pakistani driver.

This deadly incident drew sharp criticism from China, which reproached Pakistan for not adequately protecting its nationals. Following the attack, China called for a thorough investigation and sent inspectors to Pakistan.

Recently, the Pakistan Army disclosed the detention of four individuals linked to the event, including a member of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). TTP, however, denied any involvement in the attack.

Despite Pakistan portraying itself as a victim of terrorism, it has historically been a significant backer of mujahideen and extremist factions. Notably, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, often referred to as the "spiritual father of the Taliban”, disclosed that over the past two decades, between twenty to thirty thousand armed Pakistani youths had participated in combat against America in Afghanistan and have since returned to Pakistan more formidable.