Two terrorists behind Dasu Hydel Project attack killed in 'friendly fire'

LAHORE: Terrorists opened fire on law enforcement officials and gunned down two of their accomplices involved in 2021 Dasu Hydropower Project (DHPP) attack as they were being moved from the Sahiwal prison, said the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).

The terrorists were on death row and were being moved from the prison due to security concerns, said a CTD spokesperson, adding one of them was mastermind of the attack.

“Accomplices of the arrested terrorists opened fire on police to get them freed, resultantly shooting both of them dead,” the spokesperson said. The incident took place on Sammundari road in Sahiwal.

At least 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals working on the Dasu Hydropower Project (DHPP), were killed in an explosion on July 14, 2021.

A probe into the incident had later revealed that it was an act of terrorism involving the nexus between India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS).

Following the explosion, the Chinese firm working on the project had stopped working on the site citing “security concerns” and laid off all but the most essential Pakistani workers.

However, the company had later withdrawn the notification and the work on the project was resumed after a few months.

In November 2022, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) handed down the death sentence on 13 counts to each of the two men arrested in the DHPP terrorist attack case.

The court had also imposed Rs40 million fine on the two convicted terrorists, besides awarding them a total of around 800 years of imprisonment; including life imprisonment.

The Foreign Office on November 14, 2022, welcomed the verdict saying the decision demonstrated Pakistan’s commitment to counterterrorism.

"[...] the proactive investigation, prosecution and judgment in this case have once again demonstrated Pakistan’s abiding commitment to counterterrorism."