Pakistan, China agreed to complete the investigation as soon as possible

• The Minister of Public Security of China contacted Sheikh Rashid, Minister of the Interior, to discuss the investigation of the Dasu incident.
• Both sides agree that no hostile force can destroy the fraternal relationship between the two countries.
• The Chinese investigation team visited Dasu today.

Islamabad: Pakistan and China agreed on Saturday to complete the investigation of the Dasu bus accident as soon as possible. It claimed the lives of 12 people, including 9 Chinese citizens.

The agreement was reached during a half-hour telephone discussion between Chinese Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi and Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid. They discussed the tragic events in the Upper Kochstan region.

This is the second high-level contact within two days after Prime Minister Imran Khan called Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Li Keqiang assured him that he would fully investigate the matter.

Zhao expressed grief over the loss of the precious lives of Pakistanis and said that he had called Rashid on the instructions of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The two officials exchanged views on the progress of the current investigation and agreed to complete the investigation as soon as possible.

“Any hostile force cannot shake the stability of the fraternal relationship between the two countries.”

Rashid told his Chinese counterparts that the investigation was conducted at the highest level under the direction of Prime Minister Khan and will be completed soon.

He said that Pakistan is fully assisting the Chinese team currently in Pakistan to investigate the matter.

The Minister of the Interior called Pakistan and China “iron brothers” and assured his Chinese counterparts that all Chinese workers in Pakistan will be guaranteed safe and secure.

The Chinese team visits Dasu today

An investigation team composed of Chinese security officials will visit Dasu today as part of a joint investigation into the incident to determine the facts.

Pakistani security officials will brief them on the situation.

‘Terrorism cannot be ruled out’

On Thursday, Information Minister Favad Chowdhury stated that the Dassault accident “cannot rule out terrorism.”

“The preliminary investigation into the Dasu incident has now confirmed traces of explosives,” the minister said.

He once stated that Prime Minister Imran Khan “personally supervises all developments in this area” and that the government is coordinating closely with the Chinese Embassy.

“We are committed to jointly combating the threat of terrorism,” he said.

The bus crashed into the ravine

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that on Wednesday, a bus carrying Chinese workers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa crashed into a ravine “after a mechanical failure caused a gas leak and an explosion.”

According to the statement, the Chinese workers and the accompanying Pakistani staff are “going to their workplace for an ongoing project.”