Daily Times

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday assured foolproof security measures for the Chinese nationals working on the Dasu Hydropower Project as well as across the country and resolved to ensure exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the March 26 Besham incident.

A vehicle-borne suicide bomber targeted a convoy of Chinese engineers in the remote Besham area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday, killing six people.

The Chinese engineers were en route from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu – the district headquarters of the Upper Kohistan district of K-P. Their vehicle was hit by an explosive-laden vehicle, coming from the opposite direction, near Lahore Nala on the Karakoram Highway.

The Chinese engineers’ vehicle was thrown off the mountainous road into a deep ravine by the impact of the blast, killing all six on board, including five Chinese engineers and their Pakistani driver. Addressing a gathering of the Chinese nationals working on the power project, PM Shehbaz said that the government would ensure that the perpetrators and culprits of the March 26 incident should receive exemplary punishment so that it would serve as a lesson and deter anyone from committing such dastardly acts in the future.

The prime minister said that the sole purpose of his visit was to offer deep and sincere condolences and express feelings to the Chinese brothers and sisters in Dasu over a sad incident that took place on March 26, in which five Chinese and one local lost their lives. He said that it was a cowardly act on the part of terrorists to kill innocent Chinese and a Pakistani citizen for no other reason than to disturb and damage the exceptional friendship between Pakistan and China. Federal ministers Amir Muqam, Attaullah Tarar, Chairman WAPDA Lt General (retd) Sajjad Ghani, Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Jiang Zaidong, and senior officials were also present on the occasion.

Terming it a job of the enemies of Pakistan, the prime minister said that it was a dastardly act on the part of the perpetrators who found every opportunity to harm this friendship, which was strengthening with each passing day and expanding and moving forward with speed. “That is the reason enemies do not spare any opportunity to damage and create a wedge between the two iron brothers,” he added. PM Shehbaz assured that the government would not leave any stone unturned and would not spare any opportunity to ensure the best possible security measures for Chinese families and nationals.

He also assured the Chinese leadership, the people, and the Chinese ambassador that all foolproof security arrangements would be made for the Chinese people working and supporting a prosperous and developing Pakistan.

The premier said that after the incident, he had visited the embassy immediately to offer condolences on behalf of his government and the people of Pakistan to the Chinese leadership and the Chinese people.

He informed that a joint investigation team was also constituted on the same day and its report was due anytime. He further assured that they would not waste time to act upon the recommendations of the inquiry committee in letter and spirit. Besides, a high-level security meeting was held on March 27 in which they discussed better coordination with the provincial governments over additional security measures, he added. The prime minister said that Pakistan-China friendship would march forward in unison and the enemies of CPEC and this exceptional relationship would be defeated completely.

Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Jiang Zaidong said that the prime minister visited the embassy and reassured security for the Chinese nationals.

He also expressed gratitude to the government and people of Pakistan for expressing solidarity, adding that they were ready to work together to further build their strategic partnership with Pakistan.

The gathering also observed a 30-second silence for those who lost lives in the tragic incident. Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) confirmed on Monday that the terror attack in Besham was backed by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The report submitted by the CTD stated that the authorities had nabbed the main facilitator who brought the suicide bomber from Afghanistan. It added that the explosives-laden vehicle was brought through Chaman to DaraZinda town in Dera Ismail Khan district for Rs0.25 million.

CTD sources also said that the vehicle used was non-custom paid and was parked at a petrol station for a fee of Rs500 per day. Two facilitators were also arrested from Balochistan.

The report added that CTD arrested over a dozen militants and facilitators of the Dasu suicide attack. Multiple raids have also been carried out to arrest the reported mastermind of the attack, Hazrat Bilal, who is also wanted in prior attacks on Chinese engineers.