Chinese company stops work on Dasu project, fires all Pakistani staff
FIA sets up CPEC counters for Chinese workers at Islamabad Airport
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The Chinese company which was working on the Dasu Hydropower Project has stopped work after the deadly bomb blast a few days ago in which several Chinese engineers had been killed, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Through a statement, the Chinese company, CGGC Dasu HPP, has also immediately terminated contract of all Pakistanis working at the project.
The terminated Pakistani workers will be given gratuity, current month’s salary and 14-day pay.
The company also thanked all those staff members who helped after the bus attack. It said they were compelled to suspend the work after the deadly incident.
On Wednesday last, nine Chinese workers were among 12 people killed when a blast on a bus sent it careering down a ravine in Kohistan.
The bus was carrying Chinese engineers, surveyors and mechanical staff to the Dasu dam site in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which is under construction.
A further 28 Chinese nationals were also injured.
See Also: Sh Rasheed updates Chinese minister on Dasu bus blast probe
The Chinese embassy in Pakistan in a statement had said that "a certain project of a Chinese firm in Pakistan suffered an attack, which caused the deaths of Chinese nationals".
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.
CPEC counters for Chinese workers at Islamabad Airport
In the latest development, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has set up separate counters named ‘CPEC counters’ at the Islamabad International Airport for the Chinese nationals, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.
The team of 28 personnel will be deployed 24 hours in three shifts for these counters.
There will be separate staff for visitors and all Chinese residents will pass through these counters at the airport for immigration.
All facilities will be provided to all Chinese coming to Pakistan at these counters.
CPEC counters refer to the billions-dollar project China Pakistan Economic Corridor which is the flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). BRI, aka One Belt One Road, is global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 to invest in nearly 70 countries and international organizations.
Reporter Awais Kiani