Tragic Explosion Near Karachi Airport Claims Lives of Two Chinese Nationals: Heartbreaking Loss
Two Chinese nationals were killed in an explosion near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan. The blast occurred around 23:00 local time and targeted a convoy of Chinese engineers involved in a power project in Sindh province. The total number of casualties remains uncertain, though several Pakistani personnel were also killed or injured in the attack. The separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility, stating they targeted a high-level convoy of Chinese engineers and investors arriving from the airport. These engineers were part of the Port Qasim Power Generation Co Ltd, a venture under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor focused on infrastructure and energy projects, including coal power plants near Karachi.
The BLA has a history of targeting Chinese nationals, asserting that the local Baloch community is not benefiting from foreign investments in their resource-rich province. The Chinese embassy urged its citizens and enterprises in Pakistan to enhance safety measures and promised a thorough investigation into the explosions, calling for the perpetrators to be severely punished.
As Pakistan prepares for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders’ summit, security has been heightened. Footage from local media depicted thick smoke and cars inflamed by the blast, allegedly caused by an improvised explosive device. The Sindh Home Minister confirmed the explosion involved a tanker truck on Airport Road. Dr. Summaiya reported ten injured individuals at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical College, including a police constable and a woman.
Previously, the BLA attacked a Pakistani naval airbase and executed a suicide bombing at Karachi University’s Confucius Institute, highlighting ongoing tensions regarding Chinese investments within the region. Despite the recent attack, operations at Jinnah International Airport remain unaffected.
Original Story https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r84p0dp1jo
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