Pakistani authorities initially provided contradictory information, suggesting the explosion might have originated from an oil tanker. However, police later confirmed that it was indeed a bomb attack.
- Security personnel examine the scene of an explosion that resulted in injuries and damaged vehicles outside Karachi airport on October 7, 2024. | Photo Credit: AP
How has the Pakistani government responded to the bombing and the claims of responsibility by the separatist group?
A Pakistani separatist group took responsibility for a late-night bombing that aimed at a convoy carrying Chinese nationals outside the country’s largest airport, resulting in the deaths of two Chinese workers and injuring eight others, according to officials and the insurgent group on Monday (October 7, 2024).
The assault by the Baloch Liberation Army near the airport in Karachi, a southern port city, marks the latest fatal attack on Chinese nationals in the country. This incident occurred just a week before Pakistan is set to host a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a security alliance established by China and Russia to counter Western coalitions.
Initially, Pakistani authorities provided inconsistent information, suggesting that the explosion might have been caused by an oil tanker. However, police later verified that it was, in fact, a bomb attack.
Pakistani news outlets aired footage of flames consuming vehicles and a dense plume of smoke billowing from the site. Troops and police secured the perimeter. On Monday, counterterrorism officials launched an investigation into how the assailant arrived in Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan.
Among the injured were police officers who were accompanying the Chinese convoy at the time of the attack.
The spokesperson for the separatist group, Junaid Baloch, stated on Monday that one of their suicide bombers aimed for the convoy of Chinese engineers and investors as it departed from the airport.
What factors contribute to the Baloch Liberation Army’s focus on attacking foreigners and security forces in Pakistan?
The Baloch Liberation Army primarily operates in the volatile southwestern province of Balochistan, but it has also targeted foreigners and security forces in various regions of Pakistan in recent years.
The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad reported that Chinese employees from the Port Qasim Electric Power Company—a coal-powered plant that is a joint venture between China and Pakistan—were in the convoy when it was attacked around 11 p.m. Two Chinese nationals were killed, and one was injured, according to the embassy, which also noted there were Pakistani casualties but did not provide further details.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the bombing, labeling it a “barbaric terrorist attack near Karachi airport.” It also reported that another Chinese national sustained injuries in the incident.
“We express our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims, both Chinese and Pakistani, and offer prayers for the quick recovery of the injured,” stated the ministry in its announcement.
“We are determined to ensure that those behind this despicable attack are brought to justice,” it continued.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his shock and sorrow over the incident, stating that the attackers were “enemies of Pakistan” and vowed that the perpetrators would face punishment.
“I unequivocally condemn this brutal act and extend my deepest condolences to the Chinese leadership and the people of China, especially to the families of the victims,” he posted on the social media platform X.
“Pakistan is dedicated to protecting our Chinese friends,” he added. “We will spare no effort to ensure their safety and well-being.”
Pakistan hosts thousands of Chinese workers as part of Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, which is developing significant infrastructure projects. The banned separatist group, which has been engaged in a long-standing insurgency for Balochistan’s independence, has repeatedly issued warnings against the presence of Chinese nationals in the region.
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