FO says verdict in Dasu bus attack demonstrates Pakistan's commitment to counter terrorism.

The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday said that the verdict in the 2021 Dasu bus attack case had demonstrated Pakistan's 'abiding commitment to counter terrorism'.

The statement from FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch comes days after an anti-terrorism court in Hazara awarded a death sentence to two men after convicting them for planning the attack.

Mohammad Hussain and Mohammad Ayaz of Matta tehsil in Swat district were charged with planning the bus bombing, which killed 13 people, including nine Chinese workers on July 14, 2021.

Responding to a question at a weekly press briefing today, Baloch said that the FO had noted the judgment passed by the relevant court and the details released by the local police.

'While specific queries may be directed to the relevant authorities, the proactive investigation, prosecution, and judgment in this case have once again demonstrated Pakistan's abiding commitment to counterterrorism,' she said.

The spokesperson extended deepest condolences to the victims' families and promised that Pakistan remains committed to the safety and security of Chinese workers, projects, and institutions in the country.

'The ironclad Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership will never be undermined by hostile forces,' Baloch vowed.

The attack

Thirteen people - including nine Chinese nationals, two personnel of the Frontier Constabulary and two locals - were killed and 28 others sustained injuries when a coach carrying them to an under-construction tunnel site of the 4,300-megawatt Dasu hydropower project fell into a ravine in the Upper Kohistan area after an...