Terrorism cannot be ruled out in Dasu incident: Fawad Chaudhry

Karachi: In another development in the Dasu bus incident on Wednesday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said that terrorism cannot be ruled out, saying that initial investigation confirmed traces of explosives.

In a tweet on Thursday, the minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is personally supervising all developments, adding that the government is in close coordination with the Chinese embassy.

"Initial investigations into Dasu incident have now confirmed traces of explosives. Terrorism cannot be ruled out," he tweeted.

"We are committed to fight menace of terrorism together."

The minister's statement comes after Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told his Chinese counterpart that as per the preliminary investigation, the bus accident near Dasu hydropower project in the Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) was not a terrorist attack.

During their meeting in Dushanbe, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed his shock at the tragic accident and hoped that Pakistan will find out its cause, and will immediately arrest and punish those responsible.

Bus accident near Dasu not a terror attack: Qureshi tells Chinese counterpart

"If it is a terrorist attack, the criminals must be immediately arrested and severely punished. Lessons should be learned from the incident, and the security measures for China-Pakistan cooperation projects should be further strengthened to ensure the safe and smooth operation of all projects," the statement quoted the Chinese FM as saying.

However, Qureshi told his counterpart that preliminary investigation shows that it was an accident and no background of terrorist attacks has been found.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid had also met the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, nine Chinese nationals and three Pakistanis lost their lives when their bus plunged into a ravine after a mechanical failure resulting in leakage of gas that caused a blast, a statement by the Foreign Office said.