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Updated July 16th, 2021 at 11:39 IST

China rushes team to help Pakistan probe blast that killed 9 Chinese workers

China on July 15 said that it will send a team to Pakistan to help investigate a blast on a bus that killed at least 13 people including nine Chinese workers.

Reported by: Aanchal Nigam
Pakistan
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
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China on July 15 said that it will send a team to Pakistan to help investigate a blast on a bus that killed at least 13 people including nine Chinese workers. This was after China backed away from an earlier claim that the explosion was a bomb attack. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a regular press briefing on Thursday that Beijing would cooperate closely with Pakistan in the entire investigation. While Zhao had previously called the blast that sent a bus crashing to Khyber-Paktunkhwa province in Northwest Pakistan a “bomb attack,” Pakistan determined the reason as mechanical failure causing a gas leak that led to the explosion. 

China has repeatedly claimed its position as Pakistan’s close ally and a major investor in neighbouring Pakistan. While several anti-Pakistan government militants have attacked Chinese projects in the past, the bus on Wednesday crashed into a ravine in Northwest Pakistan where Chinese engineers have been working on hydroelectric projects for many years for the Belt and Road Initiative. In the wake of the incident, China’s senior diplomat Wang Yi also met with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and called on Islamabad to probe the blast.

However, as per the Chinese foreign ministry’s website, Wang fell short of calling the blast an ‘attack.’ Senior Chinese diplomat instead told the Pakistani minister that if it was indeed a “terrorist attack,” the culprits should be swiftly arrested and subjected to severe punishment. Wang, who is also China’s State Councillor and foreign minister, noted that “lessons should be learned” calling both sides to strengthen the security measures for China-Pakistan cooperation projects.

Pakistan’s deadly bus crash

As per the Associated Press report, a bus carrying dozens of construction workers fell into a ravine on July 14 in the district of Kohistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after what authorities said was a gas leak in the vehicle that caused an explosion. The incident killed at least 13 people including nine Chinese along with injuring at least 36 people. However, reportedly in the aftermath of the crash, Pakistani Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said “terrorism cannot be ruled out” as “traces of explosives” were discovered. He also said that Pakistan is in contact with the Chinese embassy but did not elaborate further.

IMAGE: AP
 

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Published July 16th, 2021 at 11:39 IST

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