According to the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, at least two of its citizens were killed and a third were injured when their convoy was ambushed near Karachi International Airport.
According to the embassy, the incident took place about 11 p.m. on Sunday (18:00 GMT) near Jinnah International Airport and targeted the Chinese workforce of the Port Qasim Electric Power Company.
Geo News, a Pakistani news channel, stated that at least ten individuals were injured. The Chinese Embassy condemned the “terrorist attack” and urged “the Pakistani side 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” in a statement issued early Monday. Hassaan Khan, a rescue officer, told Dawn.com that the fire sparked by the explosion damaged 10 vehicles and destroyed four cars.
In a statement emailed to journalists earlier, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) armed group said it was behind the attack, which involved an improvised explosive device (IED)
The BLA seeks independence for Balochistan and is part of a larger uprising in Pakistan’s largest and least populous province, which borders Iran and Afghanistan.
The Pakistani government has prohibited it. In August, the BLA staged synchronized attacks across the region, killing more than 70 people. It has claimed strikes in Balochistan, including the murder of seven barbers in Gwadar in May and the April killings of numerous individuals seized from a roadway.