Two Chinese nationals were killed and at least 10 others injured in a suspected suicide attack near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan, on Sunday night. The attack targeted a convoy of Chinese engineers working on a power project in Sindh province.
The explosion occurred around 11:00 PM local time (17:00 GMT), and the body of a third individual, believed to be the attacker, was found at the scene, though not yet officially identified. The Chinese embassy in Pakistan condemned the explosion as a “terrorist attack.”
The separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the BLA said it had targeted a high-level convoy of Chinese engineers and investors arriving from Karachi airport. The militant group later confirmed it was a suicide attack, carried out by a member of their Majeed Brigade, using a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the attack a “heinous act” and expressed his condolences to the Chinese people. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to protecting Chinese nationals, particularly those working on vital infrastructure projects across the country.
The Chinese engineers targeted in the attack were working on a coal power project under Port Qasim Power Generation Co Ltd, part of the broader China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key element of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. Thousands of Chinese nationals are involved in infrastructure and energy development projects in Pakistan, particularly in the resource-rich Balochistan region.
The BLA, which has been leading a long-running insurgency in Balochistan, has regularly targeted Chinese nationals, claiming that the local Baloch people have not benefited from the wealth generated by foreign investments. This attack is part of a series of violent incidents aimed at Chinese interests in Pakistan, including the 2022 suicide bombing at Karachi University that killed three Chinese tutors and a 2018 attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi.
Following the explosion, roads near Jinnah International Airport were sealed off, although the airport itself remains operational. Authorities have ramped up security across the region, particularly ahead of an upcoming summit for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
In response to the incident, the Chinese embassy in Pakistan issued a safety warning to Chinese nationals and enterprises in the country, urging them to be vigilant and take extra precautions. The embassy also called on the Pakistani government to investigate the attack thoroughly and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Local media footage from the explosion site shows thick smoke, vehicles engulfed in flames, and emergency services rushing to the scene. Dr. Summaiya, a police surgeon at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical College, confirmed that 10 injured individuals, including a police officer and a woman, had been admitted to the hospital, with one in critical condition.
As the investigation into the attack unfolds, questions linger about the ongoing security challenges faced by Chinese nationals working in Pakistan, particularly in volatile regions like Balochistan. Despite these threats, Chinese involvement in Pakistan’s development projects remains crucial to both countries’ economic ambitions.
Melissa Enoch
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