The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a Pakistani separatist group, has claimed responsibility for a late-night bombing that targeted a convoy carrying Chinese nationals outside Pakistan's Jinnah International airport in Karachi, resulting in the deaths of two Chinese workers and injuring eight others.
As reported by the Associated Press, the attack occurred outside the airport in Karachi, a southern port city, and marks the latest deadly incident involving Chinese nationals in Pakistan, just a week before the country is set to host a summit for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a security alliance established by China and Russia to counter Western influence.
Initially, Pakistani authorities gave conflicting information, indicating that the explosion might have come from an oil tanker. However, police later confirmed that it was a bomb attack. Among the wounded were also police officers who were escorting the Chinese convoy at the time of the incident.
As reported by the Associate Press, the spokesman for the separatist group, Junaid Baloch, said Monday that “one of their suicide bombers targeted the convoy of Chinese engineers and investors as they left the airport”.
The Baloch Liberation Army is primarily based in the volatile southwestern province of Balochistan. Still, it has also targeted foreigners and security forces in various regions of Pakistan in recent years.
Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has increasingly adopted lethal tactics such as suicide bombings, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and complex attacks involving multiple assailants and vehicle-borne IEDs. The Majeed Brigade, the BLA's suicide squad, is believed to be responsible for many of the group's complex attacks.
The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad confirmed that Chinese staff members from the Port Qasim Electric Power Company—a coal-powered plant developed as a joint venture between China and Pakistan—were in the convoy when it was attacked around 11 PM. The embassy reported that two Chinese nationals were killed, and one was injured. It also noted that there were Pakistani casualties but did not provide further details.
Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the bombing, saying it was a “heinous terrorist attack near Karachi airport.” It said another Chinese was injured in the attack.
“We extend our deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims, both Chinese and Pakistani, and offer prayers for the swift recovery of the injured,” said the ministry in a statement, adding, “We remain resolute in bringing to justice those responsible for this cowardly attack.”
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he was shocked and saddened by the attack. He said the attackers were “enemies of Pakistan” and promised the perpetrators would be punished.
“I strongly condemn this heinous act and offer my heartfelt condolences to the Chinese leadership & the people of China, particularly the families of the victims,” he wrote on the social media platform X.
“Pakistan stands committed to safeguarding our Chinese friends,” he added. “We will leave no stone unturned to ensure their security & well-being.”
Pakistan is home to thousands of Chinese workers involved in Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which aims to develop major infrastructure projects. The outlawed separatist group, which has been waging an insurgency for Balochistan's independence, has consistently warned against the presence of any Chinese nationals in the region.
The attack on Sunday night followed a series of deadly incidents in August that resulted in the deaths of over 50 people in Balochistan. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stated that the attackers aimed to undermine Chinese-funded development projects at that time.
Despite its abundant minerals, natural gas, and coal, Balochistan remains Pakistan's most economically disadvantaged region. This disparity has led to persistent political unrest. Baloch nationalists have support by alleging that Islamabad follows exploitative policies, neglecting to provide the region with its fair share of resources and opportunities.
Balochistan is also a center for the country's ethnic Baloch minority, who claim they experience discrimination from the central government. This has fueled a separatist insurgency advocating for independence. Additionally, Islamic militants are active in the province.
In March, a suicide bombing in northwestern Pakistan resulted in the deaths of five Chinese engineers and their Pakistani driver as they were en route to the Dasu Dam, the country’s largest hydropower project. In April, a suicide bomber targeted a van carrying five Japanese workers heading to a factory in Karachi; fortunately, they were unharmed, but one bystander was killed.
In 2022, an explosion at the University of Karachi campus claimed the lives of three Chinese teachers and their Pakistani driver when their van was attacked.
In 2018, the Chinese consulate in Karachi faced an attack when three assailants attempted to enter, resulting in the death of four individuals. The Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack, citing “we have been seeing the Chinese as an oppressor, along with Pakistani forces”.
(With inputs from AP)
