ISLAMABAD: China on Friday asked Pakistan to punish perpetrators of the attack on Chinese workers’ bus in Dasu and increase the security of Chinese citizens and organisations working in Pakistan.

The demand was made by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in a telephone call with Prime Minister Imran Khan as a group of Chinese officials arrived in Pakistan to investigate the incident and coordinate the repatriation of the dead and the injured.

“Li Keqiang hopes that Pakistan will take practical and effective measures to strengthen the security and protection of Chinese personnel and institutions in Pakistan, and make every effort to prevent similar incidents from happening again,” according to a statement published on a Chinese government website.

Imran assures Li no effort will be spared to fully probe incident

Thirteen people, including nine Chinese, were killed on Wednesday in a bomb attack on one of the buses carrying the workers from a camp to the site of under-construction Dasu Dam.

Pakistan initially blamed mechanical failure and accidental leakage of gas for the blast, but later conceded that it was an act of terrorism after Beijing took a strong line on the issue.

“Li Keqiang emphasised that human lives are critical and the Chinese government attaches great importance to the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions abroad,” the statement said.

The Chinese premier, while mentioning the visit of a group of Chinese officials to Pakistan to deal with the aftermath of Dasu blast, asked Pakistan to fully cooperate with the group.

“It is hoped that Pakistan will provide assistance to the working group and use all necessary means to find out the truth in a serious, responsible and accurate manner, so that the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks must be brought to justice,” Mr Li told Mr Khan.

Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad, meanwhile, in its statement said that Mr Khan assured his Chinese counterpart that no effort would be spared to fully investigate the incident.

Security of Chinese nationals, workers, projects, and institutions in Pakistan, the prime minister said, was the highest priority of the government.

He extended condolences to the Chinese government and the bereaved families.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, while talking about the strength of the bilateral ties, said that Pakistan and China had “an iron-clad friendship” which “withstood the vicissitudes of time”.

“No hostile forces would be allowed to damage brotherly relations between Pakistan and China,” he vowed.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2021