Crusade against July 14 terrorists to punish whoever attacks Chinese: Global Times editorial

Photo: AFP

The Dasu terrorist attack that killed nine Chinese nationals in Pakistan on July 14 was planned in Afghanistan and carried out by the Swat chapter of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), according to Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at a press conference on Thursday. Some suspects have been arrested in Pakistan and the rest are in Afghanistan. India’s intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghanistan’s intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) were behind the terrorist attack, Qureshi said.

The RAW is an external intelligence agency directly under India’s Cabinet Secretariat. It has the strongest operative power and has guided many Indian operations in the surrounding areas. India has openly opposed the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and the aim of the July 14 terrorist attack is widely suspected to be destroying the CPEC. However, India and Pakistan are rivals, and Pakistan’s accusations against India need conclusive evidence. China needs to carefully identify and make judgments.

The NDS is the largest intelligence agency in Afghanistan. The Afghan government has maintained good relations with both China and India. Recently, the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban sought the support of China, and India has not yet formed public diplomatic relations with the Afghan Taliban. Why the NDS was involved in the terrorist attack against the Chinese and whether it really did that still needs to be investigated.

In any case, the terrorist attack against Chinese people in Pakistan is an action against China. Supporting such an attack is also an enemy of China. Once there is conclusive evidence, China will surely make the perpetrators and forces behind them pay a heavy price.

Pakistan said three planners identified have fled to Afghanistan, and Pakistan has requested that Afghanistan hand over the three suspects through a mutual legal assistance request. Afghanistan is currently in chaos, but both the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban hope to maintain relations with China. China should exert stronger pressure on Afghanistan. No matter which side the three suspects will fall into, Afghanistan should hand them over immediately.

Anyone who dares to launch terrorist attacks to kill Chinese people must be punished, no matter how far away they are. This oath must be verified with this incident and set a firm example to the chaotic surrounding areas. There are Chinese people in Pakistan and post-war Afghanistan. There are also many Chinese people in some places in the farther areas of the world with low political stability. As China has become stronger, some international forces have become more hostile to China, and the possibility of them using extreme terrorist forces to harm China’s interests has also increased. China must severely crack down on the perpetrators and organizers of the July 14 terrorist attack and punish the forces behind as a warning to others.

Punishing the participants of the July 14 terrorist attack is a very appropriate opportunity to warn other forces and manifest China’s stern position. This is not only because the place of the attack is close to China, but also because the Pakistani government has shown a high degree of cooperation. China and Pakistan have established an all-weather strategic partnership of cooperation. The two countries have consistent interests in combating terrorism. China and Pakistan can work together to achieve a crusade against terrorist forces.

First, we must accurately identify and pinpoint all personnel and forces participating in organizing and carrying out the July 14 terrorist attack. China should support Pakistan in eradicating and capturing those terrorists and destroying their camps. If those camps are in Afghanistan, we should urge the Afghan government or the Afghan Taliban to destroy them. If they do not have the strength to do so and ask for China’s assistance, then China can consider destroying those camps itself.

The blood of the Chinese people cannot be shed in vain. No matter what measures we take to punish the evil forces that carried out the July 14 terrorist attack, they are justified and will send a solemn signal that whoever kills Chinese people will face serious consequences. As long as we have the ability to do this, we don’t need to hesitate to use this ability.

Published: Aug 13, 2021 10:02 PM