Punjab CM Maryam visits Chinese Consulate

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday visited Chinese Consulate to express condolences over loss of five Chinese nationals in a suicide attack in Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Maryam Nawaz called on Zhao Shireen, the Chinese consul general in Lahore, and expressed sorrow and grief over the precious lives. 

“The whole Pakistani nation is sad over loss of Chinese nationals,” said CM Maryam. She also said that they took steps to ensure safety and security of the Chinese citizens.

China called for a comprehensive investigation following an attack on a convoy in Bisham tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Shangla, resulting in the deaths of five Chinese nationals and one Pakistani, as per statements from the regional police chief and a station house officer (SHO).

According to Mohammad Ali Gandapur, the regional police chief, a suicide bomber targeted the convoy of Chinese engineers en route from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu by ramming an explosives-laden vehicle into it.

The incident claimed the lives of five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver, confirmed Gandapur, with the provincial police initiating relief efforts at the scene and ensuring the safety of other convoy members.

Bakht Zahir, SHO of Bisham, corroborated the death toll, labeling it a "suicide blast" and stating that investigations were underway to ascertain the origins and execution of the attack.

The bodies were being transferred to the Bisham Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, as stated by Rescue 1122 station head Sheraz Khan, who also detailed the rescue operations following the blast.

Dr. Rehmat Ali, a spokesperson at the Dasu project, identified the deceased Chinese nationals and mentioned that their bodies were being transported to Islamabad.

In response to the attack, China's embassy urged Pakistan to conduct a thorough investigation, punish the culprits, and take effective measures to safeguard Chinese citizens.

The incident follows a similar tragedy in July 2021, where 13 individuals including nine Chinese nationals, perished in a coach accident near the 4,300-megawatt Dasu hydropower project.

 Initially deemed an accident, subsequent findings revealed traces of explosives, leading to convictions in November 2022.