An explosion took place near Karachi airport in Pakistan on Sunday night. As per officials, over 10 vehicles caught fire. Some Pakistani reports claim that 1 person was dead and 10 were injured following the attack, one of which was a foreigner.
However, China’s embassy in Pakistan has said that two Chinese nationals were killed in the explosion. The embassy described it as a “terrorist attack“.
Crime Investigation Department (CID) Director General Asif Ejaz Shaikh told a local paper that “nothing was clear about the nature of the explosion at this moment.”
However, the Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar said that the explosion was caused by a suspected improvised explosive device (IED).
Who Caused The Attack?
In a statement emailed to journalists, separatist militant group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. It claimed to have used a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device targeting Chinese nationals, including engineers.
A Pakistan broadcaster reported at least 10 people were injured in the blast, in addition to some fatalities.
The Karachi police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Flight Operations Resume
Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson Saifullah said that the “airport buildings and assets were safe. He said the blast/accident took place on Model Colony road near the airport.
He added that the flight schedule was also going on as per routine.
“The airport administration has sent fire tender vehicles to the spot immediately while concerned institutions were investigating the reasons of the explosion/accident,” the statement said.
Chinese Claims
The Chinese embassy said a convoy from the Port Qasim Electric Power Company was attacked near the airport.
“The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in Pakistan strongly condemn this terrorist attack, express deep condolences to the innocent victims of both countries and sincere sympathies to the injured and (their) families,” the statement said, adding the Chinese side has been working with Pakistani authorities in the aftermath.
The BLA seeks independence for the province of Balochistan, located in Pakistan’s southwest and bordering Afghanistan and Iran. In August, it launched coordinated attacks in the province, in which more than 70 people were killed.
BLA specifically targets Chinese interests – in particular the strategic port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea, accusing Beijing of helping Islamabad exploit the province. It has previously killed Chinese citizens working in the region and attacked Beijing’s consulate in Karachi.
