Two Chinese nationals have been killed and at least 10 others injured in a suspected suicide attack near Karachi airport in Pakistan.
A third body, believed to belong to the attacker, has not yet been officially identified, according to the BBC.
The Chinese embassy in Pakistan described the explosion on Sunday night as a “terrorist attack” targeting a convoy of Chinese engineers involved in a power project in Sindh province.
The separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which has previously conducted attacks on Chinese nationals working on development projects in Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the incident.
In a statement released on Monday, the militant group stated that it had “targeted a high-level convoy of Chinese engineers and investors” arriving from Karachi airport.
Subsequently, the group issued another statement labeling the incident a suicide attack and identified the attacker as Shah Fahad, a member of a BLA suicide squad known as the Majeed Brigade.
The attack was reportedly executed using a “vehicle-borne improvised explosive device,” as quoted by Reuters.
The explosion occurred around 11:00 PM local time (5:00 PM GMT) on Sunday.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack as a “heinous act” and extended his condolences to the Chinese people.
“Pakistan stands committed to safeguarding our Chinese friends,” he wrote on X.
The country’s foreign ministry said it is “in close contact” with Chinese authorities and will “bring to justice those responsible for this cowardly attack”.
“This act of terrorism is an attack not only on Pakistan, but also on the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China,” the ministry said.
“This barbaric act will not go unpunished,” it added.
The Chinese embassy stated that the engineers were part of the Chinese-funded Port Qasim Power Generation Co Ltd, which is working to establish two coal power plants at Port Qasim, near Karachi.
Thousands of Chinese workers are currently in Pakistan, with many engaged in developing an economic corridor between the two nations as part of Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative.
The Port Qasim plant is a key component of this corridor, alongside various infrastructure and energy projects in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, known for its abundant natural resources, including gas and minerals.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and other ethnic Baloch groups have been involved in a long-standing insurgency for a separate homeland.
They have frequently targeted Chinese nationals in the region, arguing that local Baloch residents are not benefiting from the wealth generated by foreign investments and the extraction of natural resources.
On Monday, the Chinese embassy urged its citizens and businesses in Pakistan to remain vigilant and to “take all necessary safety precautions.” The embassy expressed hope that Pakistan would conduct a thorough investigation into the attack and “severely punish the perpetrator.”
Reports indicate that the blast was heard across various areas of the city, with local media footage showing thick smoke and vehicles ablaze.
Images circulating online depict security officials and firefighters examining the explosion site, with several vehicles damaged by the blast.
A police surgeon, Dr Summaiya told Dawn news: “Ten injured persons, including one in critical condition, have been brought the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical College [JPMC].”
She added the injured included a police constable and a woman.
A statement from the office of Sindh’s Interior Minister, posted on X, confirmed that a “tanker truck” exploded on Airport Road. Following the incident, roads leading to Jinnah International Airport were closed; however, airport operations continued normally on Monday.
In preparation for the upcoming leaders’ summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), security measures have been heightened across Pakistan.
In recent years, there have been numerous attacks targeting Chinese nationals in Pakistan, with the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claiming responsibility for several incidents. This includes a March attack on a Pakistani naval airbase near Gwadar port, a significant component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
In April 2022, the group carried out a suicide bombing that killed three Chinese tutors and a Pakistani driver near the Confucius Institute at Karachi University.
Additionally, in November 2018, gunmen attacked the Chinese consulate in Karachi, resulting in the deaths of at least four individuals.