Beijing: Expressing grief over the killing of a Chinese hostage during a rescue bid, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has assured Beijing that the masterminds behind the abduction would be "pursued and punished severely".

In a message to Chinese President Hu Jintao last night (Oct 14, 2004), Musharraf said, "The masterminds behind this terrorist action will be pursued relentlessly and meted out the most severe punishment."

Conveying his "sense of shock, indignation and sorrow", at the hostage taking incident in Pakistan's South Waziristan, which ended with one of two Chinese hostages being killed during a rescue bid, he said the kidnapping was "evidently aimed at undermining the historic friendship between our two people".

He said people in Pakistan and China shared the same sorrow for the tragic incident though best efforts have been taken by Pakistani Government to free the hostages.

In a letter to Chinese premier Wen Jiabao, Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also condoled the death of the Chinese hostage and promised that his country will take all necessary measures to beef up the protection of Chinese citizens there.