Banned militant organization BLA claimed responsibility for the attack
At least four people, including three Chinese nationals, were killed while four others were injured in a suicide attack outside the University of Karachi’s (KU) Confucius Institute, officials said.
“Three Chinese nationals and one Pakistani has been killed in the blast, which specifically targeted Chinese nationals,” Karachi Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officer Raja Umar Khattak confirmed.
The Chinese fatalities included the director and two teachers of the Confucius Institute, which offers Chinese language classes.
The banned militant organization Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack and said the attack was carried out by a woman suicide bomber.
CCTV footage of the attack showed a burqa-clad woman standing outside the entrance of the Confucius Institute. She detonated herself just as the van neared the institute’s entrance. Karachi Police Additional Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon said that the Chinese were the main target and that the attack was carried out by a woman.
PM visits the Chinese embassy to express sorrow
Following the attack, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Chinese embassy to express sorrow over the loss of the nationals of Pakistan’s long-time ally. “I am deeply grieved on the loss of precious lives including of our Chinese friends in the heinous attack in Karachi today,” he said, adding promising that “The perpetrators will surely be brought to justice.”
Sindh CM visits Chinese consulate
Sindh’s chief minister visited the Chinese Consulate and briefed Consul General Li Bijian about the blast. Shah expressed grief over the death of the Chinese nationals and said that incident would be fully investigated. “Those involved in the incident will be brought to justice. We value the services rendered by Chinese experts in the country and the province,” Shah said.
Pakistan’s former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan also strongly condemned the terrorist attack targeting Chinese teachers of Karachi University. “This is yet another attack with a specific agenda of trying to undermine Pak-China strategic r’ship. We must ensure defeat of this foreign-backed agenda of our enemies” he said.
Thousands of Chinese workers are living and working in Pakistan, with most of them involved in Beijing’s multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).