- Title: PAKISTAN: BODIES OF THREE CHINESE ENGINEERS KILLED IN CAR BOMB ATTACK RETURN HOME
- Date: 7th May 2004
- Summary: (W3) KARACHI, CHINA (MAY 7, 2004) (REUTERS) (DAWN SCENES) 1. VARIOUS OF POLICEMEN MOVING COFFINS OF THREE CHINESE KILLED IN CAR BOMB ATTACK 0.12 2. WIDE OF POLICEMEN STANDING TO ATTENTION 0.18 3. SLV OFFICIALS OF PAKISTAN'S MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS, CHINESE CONSULATE STAFF AND RELATIVES OF THE DEAD 0.22 4. WIDE OF COFFIN
- Embargoed: 22nd May 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: KARACHI, PAKISTAN
- Country: Pakistan
- Reuters ID: LVACY96SUM26JQP7JBCZ6YWRN439
- Story Text: Bodies of three Chinese engineers killed in car bomb
attack return to China.
Three coffins wrapped in Chinese flags,
containing dead bodies of three Chinese technicians killed
in the Gawadar car bomb attack, were flown back to China
early Friday (May 7, 2004) morning from Pakistan's southern port
city of Karachi.
The technicians were killed on Monday (May 3) when a
powerful car bomb triggered by remote control
exploded, destroying the minivan taking them from their
residence to the port.
Nine other Chinese and two Pakistanis were also wounded
in the blast.
Baluchistan is the southwestern province where Gawadar
is located.
Police in Gawadar said the Chinese were going to the
port, which is being expanded with Chinese help, from their
residential complex when a small car loaded with explosives
blew up beside their vehicle.
The Chinese ambassador Zhang Chunxiang (pron: djang
choon-seeang), Chinese consulate staff in Karachi and some
relatives of the dead took part in a brief remembrance
ceremony at an the Air Force Base in Karachi, before the
coffins were loaded on a C-130 military plane and flown
back to Beijing
Pakistan's Federal Minister for Communications, Babar
Ghouri has also left for China to represent the Pakistan
government and handover the bodies to Chinese government.
"Whoever is responsible for this sad incident, we tell
them the Pakistan-China friendship will not be threatened
by such acts," he said.
"Our hearts are aching, but we shall definitely construct and
complete the Gawadar port with our Pakistani brothers,"
Zhang added.
Hundreds of Chinese and Pakistani workers resumed work
on building Pakistan's new deep sea port on Thursday amid
tight security after the deadly bombing.
Pakistan has deployed marines to guard the new port at
Gawadar, in the Baluchistan province close to the Iranian
border and about 300 miles (480 km) west of Karachi.
Work was suspended after the bombing, which struck at
the heart of Pakistan's economic interests as well as its
key relationship with China.
Police have detained 17 people in connection with the
attack, which officials blamed on "terrorists". They have
yet to make a formal arrest.
Around 400 Chinese are working in Gawadar to help turn
it from a fishing port of 60,000-70,000 people into a
transit point for Central Asian trade. The $248 million
project, largely funded by China, has been touted as a
showcase for foreign investors.
Pakistan relies heavily on China for investment and
military hardware, and has been quick to assure its
long-time ally that security would be reinforced and the
assailants caught.
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