China’s Embassy in Pakistan has demanded investigation into the attack.
“The Chinese Embassy and consulates in Pakistan have immediately launched emergency work, demanding that the Pakistani side conduct a thorough investigation into the attack, severely punish the perpetrators and take practical and effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens,” the Embassy said in a statement.
Besham Station House Officer (SHO) also confirmed that the incident claimed six lives, of which five were Chinese engineers and one was a Pakistani, Dawn reported.
He said it was a “suicide blast” and the authorities concerned were collecting evidence.
Security arrangements were tightened at the spot and the bodies were being shifted to a hospital, he added.
“We will investigate from where and how the vehicle of a suicide bomber came and how it happened,” the SHO said.
A rescue official said that after the blast, the vehicle with the Chinese passengers fell into a gorge and caught fire, Dawn reported.
In July 2021, 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals, were killed when a coach carrying them to an under-construction tunnel site of the 4,300 MW Dasu hydropower project fell into a ravine in the upper Kohistan area after an explosion.
IANS