Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday attached importance to the safety of Chinese engineers in Pakistan, urging the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese diplomatic missions to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan.

Three Chinese nationals were killed and 11 others including two Pakistanis were wounded earlier Monday when an unoccupied car exploded near their bus in Gwadar, about 500 km west of Karachi.

Hu required the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and the Chinese Embassy and consulates in Pakistan to spare no effort to assist the Pakistani side to treat the injured and properly handle related affairs of those killed.

Hu extended condolences to the families of the killed and comfort to the injured and their families in the bomb attack via the Chinese Embassy and consulates in Pakistan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China and Chinese Embassy and consulates in Pakistan have tried their utmost to assist the Pakistani side to handle the related issues according to Chinese President Hu Jintao's directions.

After Pakistani side arranged flight to send Chinese victims to Karachi, Chinese officials from the consulate general in Karachi greeted them at the airport and conveyed the comfort from President Hu to the injured.

The Chinese victims, all engineers, were among 300 Chinese nationals working on the Gwadar port. At president, all the Chinese injured in the attack are out of danger.
 
(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2004)