Pakistan and China agreed on Saturday to expedite the inquiry into the Dasu bus tragedy. It killed a total of 12 individuals, nine of them were Chinese nationals.
The agreement was reached after a half-hour telephone conversation between China’s Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi and Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed. They spoke about the terrible event in Upper Kohistan.
This is the second high-level communication in two days, after Prime Minister Imran Khan’s call to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who promised him that the event will be thoroughly investigated.
Zhao claimed he phoned Rasheed on the orders of Chinese President Xi Jinping, expressing regret for the loss of valuable Pakistani lives.
The two officials discussed the investigation’s progress thus far and decided to
complete it as soon as possible.
“No hostile force can destabilize fraternal relations between the two countries.”
Rasheed told his Chinese colleague that the investigations are being taken out at the highest level on PM Khan’s orders and would be finished shortly.
He said that Pakistan is assisting the Chinese team in investigating the incident.
The interior minister referred to Pakistan and China as “iron brothers,” and promised his Chinese colleague that all Chinese employees in Pakistan would be safe.
Chinese team to visit Dasu today
As part of a cooperative investigation into the event, a team of Chinese security officials will visit Dasu today to establish the facts.
Pakistani security authorities will update them on the situation.
Terrorism cannot be ruled out
Fawad Chaudhry, the Minister of Information, stated on Thursday that “terrorism cannot be ruled out” as a factor in the Dasu tragedy.
“Initial investigations into the Dasu incident have now confirmed traces of explosives,” the minister had said.
He had said that PM Imran Khan is “personally supervising all developments in this regard” and that the government is closely coordinating with the Chinese embassy.
“We are committed to fighting the menace of terrorism together,” he had said.
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