- IMC also recommends Rs2.5m compensation for Pakistani national killed in same attack
- Amount to be transferred to account of Pakistan embassy in Beijing for onwards transfer to victims’ families
ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) is likely to green-light a $2.58 million compensation package for the employees of a Chinese company killed in Besham terror attack on March 26.
According to senior officials of the Cabinet Division, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) is expected to approve the compensation package in its next meeting.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) has recommended the amount as compensation to the ECC based on the GDP per capita and purchasing power parity.
Similarly, a compensation of Rs2.5 million has also been recommended for a Pakistani national who was killed in the same attack.
The official source claimed that the committee’s secretariat has received a summary seeking $2.58 million in compensation for the five Chinese employees of China Gezhouba, the company working on Dasu Hydropower project.
The amount will be transferred to the account of the Pakistan embassy in Beijing, which will then transfer the payments to the families of the victims via appropriate channels.
The IMC recommended the compensation almost two months after the Besham terror attack that claimed the lives of six people — five Chinese engineers and one Pakistani — working on the Dasu Dam.
The victims were killed when an explosive-laden vehicle hit a bus carrying Chinese workers on Karakoram Highway in Besham area.
Following the attack, civil work at the sites of the Dasu and Diamer-Bhasha Dams was temporarily suspended by the Chinese companies overseeing operations due to security concerns.
Approximately 991 Chinese engineers were working on both projects, while the local staff was told to stay at home till further instructions.
Reacting to the deadly attack, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian termed the terror bid an attempt to sabotage China-Pakistan relations.
“Beijing remains firm in its commitment to working with Islamabad in various fields,” the official said.
