PESHAWAR: Nine Chinese workers were among 13 people killed on Wednesday when a blast on a bus sent it careening down a ravine in north-western Pakistan, officials said.
The bus was carrying Chinese engineers, surveyors and mechanical staff to the Dasu dam site in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which is under construction.
“The blast sparked a fire in the engine plunging the vehicle into a ravine, a local government official told AFP, requesting not be named.
He said a further 28 Chinese nationals were injured.
A senior local police official, who also asked not to be named, confirmed the incident and said “it was a heavy blast but its nature is not known yet.”
The Chinese embassy in Pakistan posted a statement on Wednesday, saying that “a certain project of a Chinese firm in Pakistan suffered an attack, which caused the deaths of Chinese nationals.”
It urged Chinese firms to strengthen their security procedures.
Security of Chinese workers has long been an issue of concern in Pakistan, where Beijing has poured in tens of billions of dollars in recent years, and large numbers of Chinese nationals are now based in the country to supervise and build infrastructure projects.
13 killed, including 9 Chinese nationals, in Pakistan bus blast — officials
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13 killed, including 9 Chinese nationals, in Pakistan bus blast — officials
- Bus was carrying Chinese engineers, surveyors and mechanical staff to Dasu dam site in northwest
- Security of Chinese workers has long been an issue of concern in Pakistan
Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi out of Big Bash League with knee injury
- Afridi will return home for rehabilitation ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup starting in February
- Afridi, on debut in Australian T20 league, took two wickets in four appearances for Brisbane Heat
Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has picked up a knee injury in Australia’s Big Bash League and will return home for rehabilitation ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup starting in February, his team Brisbane Heat said on Tuesday.
Afridi, 25, suffered a knee cartilage injury fielding during Saturday’s win over Adelaide Strikers, Heat said in a statement.
“After consulting with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s medical staff during the past 24 hours, it was agreed that Afridi would ... return home for further treatment,” it added.
Afridi, making his debut in the Australian franchise-based T20 league, took two wickets in four appearances for Heat.
“The BBL was everything I had heard it would be – lots of good, skillful cricket. I have enjoyed the challenge,” Afridi said in a statement shared by the team.
Pakistan will begin their T20 World Cup campaign on February 7 with a group stage game against Netherlands in Colombo.
