It was revealed that the victims were part of the workforce engaged in the Dasu hydropower project.

According to the police, several additional people sustained injuries in the incident, which took place in the Bisham area of Shangla district in the province. The accident occurred when a bus travelling from Islamabad to Kohistan was struck by a vehicle travelling in the opposite direction.

While the identities of the perpetrators remain unknown, initial reports suggest the incident was a suicide blast.

Bisham Station House Officer (SHO) Bakht Zahir labelled it as such, affirming ongoing efforts to gather evidence. Security measures were promptly reinforced at the scene, with the injured rushed to nearby medical facilities for treatment.

"We will investigate from where and how the vehicle of a suicide bomber came and how it happened," SHO Zahir stated, highlighting the determination to uncover the circumstances leading to the attack.

Geo News cited a senior police official, confirming the tragic loss of six Chinese nationals with several others sustaining injuries in the assault, reported news agency PTI.

Shangla lies in proximity to Kohistan, the site of a terrorist attack in 2021 that claimed the lives of 13 individuals, including nine Chinese nationals. Meanwhile, Pakistan hosts thousands of Chinese workers engaged in numerous projects under the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), valued at USD 60 billion.