After an alleged attack carried out by Tehreek Taliban Pakistan on a bus carrying Chinese engineers killing nine of them, China has postponed an important and scheduled meeting of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to be held today (16 July) following the killing of Chinese nationals. reports Livemint.
On July 14 a bus carrying Chinese nationals working in the Dasu area of Upper Kohistan district of the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was attacked which the Pakistani government downplayed, calling it “mechanical failure” in the bus.
However, after China did not agree to the Pakistan version of mechanical failure, it is now being deemed as a “cowardly attack”.
TeeChinese engineers and construction workers were on their way to build a dam as part of the $60 billion CPEC n the western province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The Dusa hydropower plant is part of the CPEC under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
China immediately called for severe punishment against those behind the blast and the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong has also urged that the “truth must be found” which could prove to be very uncomfortable for the Islamic State of Pakistan.
The explosion has sent a shockwave in Beijing due to the high number of Chinese casualties and Beijing is also sending a cross-department workgroup to assist Pakistan on the case which means its own investigators.
After applying pressure, Information Minister of Pakistan, Fawad Chaudhry, said in a Twitter post, “Initial investigations into Dasu incident have now confirmed traces of explosives, terrorism cannot be ruled out,” thus officially ruling out accident.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, “We have asked the Pakistani side to lose no time in conducting a thorough investigation, properly transfer and treat the wounded, strengthen security measures, eliminate security risks, and ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and projects in Pakistan,”.
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