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Pakistan News: Blast Kills 2 Chinese Nationals Near Karachi Airport

According to the latest Pakistan news, the suicide bombing occurred Sunday outside Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, Pakistan’s busiest aviation hub. The blast killed two Chinese nationals and injured at least seven others including one more Chinese national.

Pakistan News: Blast Kills 2 Chinese Nationals Near Karachi Airport

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According to the latest Pakistan news, the explosion occurred near Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, Pakistan’s largest airport around 23:00 local time on Sunday, October 6, 2024.

Two Chinese nationals were killed and at least ten others were injured including locals and security personnel. Among the injured was a police constable and a woman with one individual reported to be in critical condition.

A third body found at the scene is believed to be that of the suicide attacker. Although not officially confirmed, the individual is suspected to have carried out the attack.

The explosion was aimed at a convoy of Chinese engineers and investors working on the Port Qasim Power Generation Co Ltd. These Chinese nationals were involved in a coal power project, part of the larger China-Pakistan Economic Corridor initiative.

The Balochistan Liberation Army has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group has been known for its insurgency against the Pakistani government, seeking independence for Balochistan.

They have frequently targeted Chinese nationals, viewing foreign investment as exploitative especially when the local ethnic Baloch community does not benefit from the region’s natural resources.

The attack was carried out using a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, which caused a massive explosion. The BLA has identified the perpetrator as Shah Fahad, a member of its suicide squad known as the Majeed Brigade.

The explosion set several cars ablaze and the blast was heard across various parts of Karachi. Footage and pictures from the scene showed thick smoke rising with multiple vehicles charred and destroyed by the explosion.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and expressing his condolences to the Chinese people. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to protecting Chinese nationals and pledged that those responsible would be brought to justice.

According to the latest Pakistan news, the Chinese embassy in Pakistan condemned the attack as a terrorist attack and urged Chinese citizens and enterprises in Pakistan to remain vigilant and take safety precautions.

The embassy also called on Pakistani authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and severely punish the murderer.

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The separatist group Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that a suicide bomber targeted the Chinese convoy.

The BLA has consistently targeted Chinese projects and personnel with a history of assaults aimed at undermining Pakistan-China ties and opposing Beijing’s growing economic influence in the region.

The attacked convoy was associated with a CPEC project. Since 2015, Beijing has invested tens of billions of dollars in CPEC, connecting China’s Xinjiang region to Pakistan’s Gwadar port via a network of roads, railways, pipelines and power plants.

Many locals in Balochistan feel disenfranchised and neglected, seeing little benefit from the mega-projects financed by China.

The BLA has fueled this resentment by accusing China and Pakistan’s central government of exploiting the region’s resources while providing minimal economic benefits to the local population.

In March 2024, five Chinese workers were killed in a suicide bombing targeting a convoy in northwest Pakistan. This convoy was associated with the Dasu Dam, Pakistan’s largest hydropower project.

In 2022, an explosion at the University of Karachi killed three Chinese teachers and their Pakistani driver. In July 2021, a similar attack on a bus killed nine Chinese engineers working on a dam project in northwestern Pakistan.

According to the latest Pakistan news, the convoy targeted in the attack was associated with the Port Qasim Power Generation Co Ltd, a Chinese-funded project under the CPEC initiative. This project involves the construction of two coal power plants near Karachi.

CPEC is a key component of China’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to enhance economic connectivity between China, Central Asia and South Asia.

Thousands of Chinese workers are stationed in Pakistan, many working on infrastructure and energy projects under the BRI.

These workers have increasingly become targets of militant groups including the BLA, who oppose foreign intervention in their region and demand a greater share of the profits from Balochistan’s rich natural resources.

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