The Embassy of China in Pakistan also confirmed that at least two of its citizens were killed while one was injured after an attack on their convoy near Karachi airport. It took place at around 11 PM on Sunday while targeting the Chinese staff of the Port Qasim Electric Power Company near Jinnah International Airport.
According to Geo News, as many as ten people have been injured in the attack. In a statement early Monday, the Chinese Embassy strongly condemned the “terrorist attack”, asking Pakistani authorities to carry out an investigation thoroughly, punish the perpetrators, and take effective measures to ensure the safety of the Chinese citizens and projects in the country. The blast caused massive damage to the vehicles, completely destroying four and affecting ten others, said Hassaan Khan, a rescue official.
The attack with the improvised explosive device was claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army, which is an armed group fighting for independence in the resource-rich region of Balochistan. The BLA is considered one of the groups conducting violent acts in Pakistan’s largest yet least-populated province, bordering Iran and Afghanistan. The Pakistani government has banned the group.
In August, the BLA carried out coordinated attacks across Balochistan that killed at least 73 people. Other attacks claimed by the group include the killing of seven barbers in Gwadar in May and the abduction and killing of several people on a highway in April.
The BLA has selectively targeted Chinese interests, primarily castigating Beijing for supporting Islamabad’s exploitation of resources in Balochistan. Five Chinese engineers and a Pakistani were killed in an attack this year near the China-backed Dasu hydropower project, while nine Chinese died in a similar attack in 2021.
The BLA also attacked the Chinese consulate in Karachi. Two power plants currently financed by China are in Qasim, where a port is still developing.
Following the attack, the Chinese embassy asked its citizens, companies, and projects in Pakistan to guarantee their own safety strictly, pay close attention to the security situation, and strengthen safety precautions. The warning comes as Pakistan is due to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in two weeks.
