Pakistani police have detained greater than 12 individuals in reference to the bombing. (File)

Islamabad:

Pakistan’s prime minister has ordered no less than 5 senior police officers be punished for negligence after a suicide bomber killed 5 Chinese language engineers at a significant dam website final month, the nation’s data minister stated Saturday.

The assault in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province pressured Energy China and the China Gezhouba Firm to droop work on two dam tasks after the bombing killed the 5 staff and a Pakistani driver, sending their van right into a deep ravine.

A whole lot of Chinese language persons are employed on the Dasu and Diamer Bhasha dam development websites, positioned round 100 km (62 miles) aside within the mountainous area.

Minister of Info Attaullah Tarar stated a committee appointed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recognized a regional official, three district officers and the director of safety on the Dasu dam mission for his or her “negligence” in fulfilling their duties.

“The prime minister has ordered fast motion in opposition to these officers,” Tarar advised a press convention within the metropolis of Lahore, with out specifying what their punishment will likely be.

“The prime minister himself will likely be monitoring the safety of Chinese language (nationals). These people who’ve proven negligence will likely be set for example.”

Tarar stated safety issues concerning Chinese language residents can be “handled with utmost seriousness and any lapses is not going to be tolerated.”

Operations by Energy China have resumed at Diamer Bhasha whereas operations at China Gezhouba Group Firm at Dasu stay closed.

Pakistani police have detained greater than 12 individuals, together with Afghan nationals, in reference to the bombing.

Beijing is Islamabad’s closest regional ally, continuously providing monetary help to assist its often-struggling neighbour and pouring greater than $2 trillion into infrastructure tasks.

Nonetheless, Pakistanis have lengthy complained about not receiving a justifiable share of the roles or wealth generated by the tasks.

The safety of Chinese language staff is a significant concern to each international locations, with nationals continuously focused by militants hostile to exterior affect.

Final week’s assault got here simply days after militants tried to storm workplaces of the Gwadar deepwater port within the southwest, thought of a cornerstone of Chinese language funding in Pakistan.

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