Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif visits Chinese engineers working on dam project in Dasu
Apr 02, 2024
Islamabad [Pakistan], April 2 : Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accompanied by the Chinese envoy Jiang Zaidong paid a visit to Dasu, in the Upper Kohistan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Jiang Zaidong, to meet Chinese engineers working on the Dasu Dam project, Radio Pakistan reported.
During his visit on Monday, Sharif gave clear directions for immediate measures to further enhance security of the workers.
This follows days after five Chinese engineers and their Pakistani driver were killed in a suicide bombing on March 26 while traveling between Islamabad and a hydroelectric dam construction site in Dasu, in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The bus was attacked in the Bisham city of KP's Shangla district, Dawn reported on Monday.
The attack in Bisham was one of several assaults occurring within a short timeframe, all aimed at Chinese interests.
According to Dawn, previous incidents at the Gwadar Port Authority Complex and the Turbat naval base, crucial to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), were part of this series.
These consecutive attacks underscored the mounting security concerns about Chinese projects and personnel in Pakistan.
The Bisham attack prompted China to demand a thorough probe into the deadly blast and security for its citizens. In response, Islamabad announced a swift probe to hold the "perpetrators and accomplices" accountable, as per Dawn.
As per the police, the bus was traveling from Islamabad to Kohistan when it came under the attack on the Karakoram Highway. "It was a suicide attack on the Chinese convoy and an explosive-laden vehicle approaching from Kohistan hit the bus," Bisham Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Juma Rehman told Dawn. SDPO Rehman said that following the attack, the bus caught fire and fell into a ravine.
"I want to assure you that the government of Pakistan will not leave any stone unturned, will not spare any opportunity to make sure you get the best possible security for your families and yourself, and that nothing will be left to chance." Shehbaz Sharif said in Dasu
He added that he was aware his words would be put to the test but reassured that they were "our commitment to you."
