Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday assured the Chinese of personally overseeing the investigation into last night’s terror attack near the Karachi airport, which left two Chinese nationals dead.
Late on Sunday night, a massive explosion occurred on a road near Jinnah International Airport, killing a total of three people and injuring at least 11 others, including a Chinese citizen.
Conflicting accounts emerged in the wake of the powerful explosion, which was heard across town — as far away as Clifton — with officials oscillating between calling it an “IED (improvised explosive device) blast” and an explosion triggered after a vehicle collided with an oil tanker.
Footage of the scene of the explosion showed several vehicles engulfed in flames. Officials said the Bomb Disposal Squad was working to ascertain the nature of the blast.
The outlawed Majeed Brigade of the banned outfit Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) released a statement claiming responsibility for the attack.
In a statement today, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan confirmed that two of its nationals had died and another was injured, along with “some local casualties”.
PM Shehbaz visited the Chinese Embassy to meet with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong and extended his condolences over the attack.
Expressing sorrow over the deaths of Chinese citizens, he said the government was fully mobilised to identify those responsible for the incident as soon as possible.
“After identifying those responsible for the incident as soon as possible, they will be brought to justice. Protection of life and property of our Chinese brothers in Pakistan is our first priority.
“This heinous conspiracy to damage Pakistan-China relations will not be tolerated. I will personally supervise the investigation of this incident,” he was quoted as saying in a statement by PTV.
He said security arrangements for foreigners would be further bumped up.
The Chinese ambassador expressed his gratitude for the immediate response and the initiation of the investigation by Pakistan. He also expressed his confidence in an effective investigation of the matter and the immediate identification of those responsible to bring them to justice as soon as possible.
“We hope that those responsible for the incident will be punished as soon as possible,” he was quoted as saying.
In an earlier statement, PM Shehbaz said he was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the incident.
“I strongly condemn this heinous act and offer my heartfelt condolences to the Chinese leadership and the people of China, particularly the families of the victims. May the injured recover soon,” the premier said on X.
“The perpetrators of this dastardly incident cannot be Pakistanis but are sworn enemies of Pakistan,” PM Shehbaz further said. He said an immediate investigation was under way to identify the miscreants and bring them to justice.
“Pakistan stands committed to safeguarding our Chinese friends. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure their security and well-being,” the prime minister vowed.
Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told Dawn.com that the bodies of the two Chinese nationals and an unidentified individual were brought to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC). Their autopsies were conducted and relevant samples were collected, she added.
Dr Syed said a total of 10 injured individuals were brought to JPMC, including one whose condition was critical. Four of the injured were discharged after providing them with first aid treatment.
Meanwhile, a statement by Rescue 1122 said that the blaze caused in five vehicles by the blast had been brought under control. A total of at least seven vehicles were destroyed in the incident.
Earlier, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar said he had information the explosion was caused by an IED blast. However, Deputy Inspector General (East) Capt (retd) Azfar Mahesar said it would take time to ascertain the exact nature of the explosion.
Lanjar had also said that a convoy of foreign nationals was passing by the area when the explosion took place.
Following the incident, the Airport Security Force had sealed the exit and entry points of the airport and cordoned off the area. A traffic police statement issued at 8:22am said the airport road had been cleared and was open for traffic.
It said vehicles coming from Jinnah International Airport were being diverted to Model Colony Graveyard and Super Highway.
The Civil Aviation Authority said flights from Karachi were continuing “as usual” and “agencies are investigating the cause at the scene of the accident/explosion”.
The attack comes ahead of high-profile engagements expected in Islamabad this month. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit is scheduled for October 15-16 and is expected to be attended by the Indian foreign minister as well.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has previously said foreign delegations, including those from China and Saudi Arabia, would also be arriving in the federal capital soon for the SCO summit.
Attack to not go unpunished: FO
Regarding the attack, the Foreign Office (FO) said in its statement: “Pakistan strongly condemns the heinous terrorist attack near Karachi airport last night, which claimed the lives of two Chinese engineers while injuring another.
“[…] Pakistan’s security and law enforcement agencies will spare no effort in apprehending the perpetrators and their facilitators. This barbaric act will not go unpunished,” it vowed.
The FO extended its deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims, both Chinese and Pakistani, and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.
“This deplorable act of terrorism is an attack not only on Pakistan but also on the enduring friendship between Pakistan and China.
“We remain resolute in bringing to justice those responsible for this cowardly attack, including the Majeed Brigade,” the FO further said, referring to the outlawed group affiliated with the BLA.
The foreign ministry was in close contact with the Chinese Embassy for coordination and facilitation, the statement said.
“Pakistan and China are close partners and iron-brothers, united by a bond of mutual respect and shared destiny. Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects, and institutions in Pakistan, and will continue to work hand in hand with our Chinese brothers to defeat the forces of terror,” the FO asserted.
Chinese embassy seeks ‘thorough probe’
The Chinese embassy strongly condemned the “terrorist attack”, expressing deep condolences to the “innocent victims of both countries and sincere sympathies to the injured and families”.
In its statement, the embassy said a “convoy carrying Chinese staff of the Port Qasim Electric Power Company (Private) Limited was attacked near the Jinnah International Airport”.
The embassy and consulate generals were “making every effort to handle the aftermath together with the Pakistani side”, it added.
The embassy requested Pakistan to “thoroughly investigate the attack, severely punish the perpetrators, and take all necessary measures to protect the safety of Chinese citizens, institutions and projects in Pakistan”.
It reminded “Chinese citizens, enterprises and projects in Pakistan to be vigilant, pay close attention to the security situation, strengthen security measures, and make every effort to take safety precautions”.
LEAs’ committee to probe incident
Separately, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, who last night took notice of the attack, convened a meeting to review law and order in Karachi.
According to a statement by CM Murad’s spokesperson, the meeting was attended by the provincial home minister, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon, and Rangers Director General Major Gen Azhar Waqas, among others.
“The blast near the airport is intolerable. Such incidents should not take place,” the chief minister was quoted as saying. He directed the police and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to intensify intelligence-gathering efforts and strengthen coordination among themselves.
CM Murad also ordered the formation of a joint committee comprising the police and LEAs to probe the incident.
Later in the day, CM Murad visited the Chinese consulate general, another statement by his spokesperson said.
The chief minister, accompanied by Lanjar and other top security officials, conveyed his condolences to Consul General Yang Yundong.
Condemnations
President Asif Ali Zardari in a statement condemned the incident and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.
“Anti-national elements want to harm the development and prosperity of Pakistan,” the statement said. He added that effective action must be taken to bring those involved in the incident to justice.
“My sympathies are with the Chinese citizens and their families in this hour of grief,” the statement said.
Naqvi strongly condemned the incident, according to a statement by his ministry.
He expressed deep grief at the deaths of Chinese nationals in the blast and conveyed his sympathies to their bereaved families. “We express full solidarity with the families of the Chinese citizens in this moment of grief,” he said.
Praying for the speedy recovery of the injured, Naqvi said “those responsible for this tragic incident would not be able to escape the grip of the law”.
“The coward enemy made a heinous plot to damage Pak-China friendship,” the minister said.
Naqvi also visited the Chinese Embassy to meet with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong to express deep sorrow over the tragic death of two Chinese nationals in the Karachi explosion.
During the meeting, Naqvi extended his condolences to the families of the victims and assured the Chinese ambassador of Pakistan’s solidarity with the government and the people of China.
He briefed Ambassador Jiang on the details of the incident and the progress in the ongoing investigation.
“We stand united with the Chinese government and the bereaved families in this difficult time,” Naqvi said, emphasising that the entire Pakistani nation shared in the grief of their Chinese brothers.
He vowed that comprehensive investigations would be conducted so that those responsible for the heinous attack were brought to justice.
Naqvi termed the incident an intolerable attempt to damage the longstanding Pakistan-China friendship, calling it a “cowardly conspiracy”.
He reiterated that such acts would not succeed and that Pakistan’s top priority was the safety of Chinese citizens working for the country’s development.
“This was not just an attack on Chinese nationals but an attack on Pakistan itself,” Naqvi declared, promising a strong response to the perpetrators.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori said on X that it was “not an attack on Chinese friends but […] on our strong determination”.
“Pakistan has always played the role of vanguard against terrorism. We are determined for the safety of [our] Chinese friends,” he added, vowing to bring those involved in the attack to justice.
Balochistan CM Sarfraz Bugti said he was “deeply heartbroken by the tragic incident”.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the Chinese leadership, people of China, and the victims’ families,” CM Bugti said, strongly condemning the attack.
He assured “Chinese friends that those responsible will be brought to justice”, affirming that Pakistan was committed to ensuring the safety and security of the neighbour’s citizens.
Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz “expressed regret over the loss of three precious human lives in the blast and prayed for the speedy recovery” of the wounded, Radio Pakistan reported.’
She said the whole nation was united to eradicate the scourge of terrorism and terrorists could not demoralise the nation with such cowardly acts.
