KARACHI: Two Chinese nationals were killed while at least 10 others were injured last night in a blast that took place near the Jinnah International Airport in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, the Chinese embassy and local authorities confirmed on Monday, describing the incident as a “terrorist attack.”

On Sunday night, residents from various parts of the city such as the Defense Housing Authority (DHA), North Nazimabad and Pakistan Employees Cooperative Housing Society (PECHS) areas reported hearing a loud explosion near the airport. This was followed by a series of videos that went viral on social media, showing a massive blaze and several vehicles on fire. 

The outlawed Baloch separatist outfit Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it had targeted a convoy of “Chinese engineers and investors” arriving in Pakistan’s largest city and its commercial hub. In a statement sent via email, the BLA said the attack was executed by its Majeed Brigade unit that had targeted a high-profile convoy of Chinese personnel. 

Speaking to ARY, a local news channel on Sunday night, Sindh Home Minister Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar said authorities were investigating the incident. He said four police officers and two personnel of the paramilitary Rangers force were also among the injured. 

“At around 11 p.m. on October 6th, a convoy carrying Chinese staff of the Port Qasim Electric Power Company (Private) Limited was attacked near the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, which caused two Chinese died, one Chinese injured and some local casualties,” the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan said in a statement. 

An initial report from the Airport Police Station said an unknown vehicle collided with a car carrying Chinese nationals near the airport’s outer gate, triggering the explosion. The injured Chinese national was subsequently transported to a local hospital.

“The nature of the explosion will be determined by the bomb disposal team,” a copy of the report seen by Arab News said.

The Chinese embassy said it was making every effort to handle the “aftermath” of the attack with Pakistani authorities. 

“The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in Pakistan strongly condemn this terrorist attack, express deep condolences to the innocent victims of both countries and sincere sympathies to the injured and families, and are making every effort to handle the aftermath together with the Pakistani side,” it added. 

The statement said the Chinese embassy and its consulates in Pakistan have launched “an emergency plan” and requested the Pakistani authorities to thoroughly investigate the attack and severely punish the perpetrators. It urged Islamabad to take necessary measures to protect Chinese citizens, institutions and projects in the South Asian country.

“The Chinese Embassy and Consulates General in Pakistan remind 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,” the statement concluded.

Dr. Summayia Syed, a police surgeon in Karachi, said 10 people including a child were being treated at the Jinnah Hospital for injuries. 

“One of the injured is in critical condition,” she told Arab News, adding that all the victims were Pakistani citizens. 

The BLA is a separatist outfit that wants independence for Pakistan’s gas-and-mineral-rich Balochistan province, which has been the scene of a low-lying insurgency for the past two decades and shares borders with Iran and Afghanistan. Separatist Baloch militants blame Pakistan’s state for exploiting the province’s resources, a charge the Pakistani state denies vehemently. 

In August, the banned outfit launched a series of coordinated attacks in Balochistan, killing over 70 people. It has claimed attacks in Balochistan in the past, including the killing of seven barbers hailing from Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province in the port city of Gwadar in May. 

The militant outfit targets Chinese interests in Pakistan, including the Gwadar port located on the Arabian Sea. It has previously killed Chinese citizens working in the region and attacked Beijing’s consulate in Karachi as well. 

China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan that has pledged over $65 billion in investment in road, infrastructure and development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. The CPEC is a part of the Belt and Road Initiative, a massive China-led infrastructure project that aims to stretch around the globe.