Lagatar24 Desk
Karachi, Pakistan: Two Chinese nationals were killed in a massive blast near Karachi’s airport late Sunday night, in an attack claimed by the separatist group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). The explosion, which occurred around 11:00 pm, also left several others, including Pakistani citizens, wounded, according to an official statement from Beijing’s embassy in Pakistan.
The incident took place on the airport motorway, with the Sindh provincial government initially attributing the blast to a “tanker” explosion. However, the BLA later claimed responsibility, stating they had “targeted a high-level convoy of Chinese engineers and investors” traveling from Karachi’s airport.
The Chinese nationals who were killed were part of the Chinese-funded Port Qasim power project. In a statement, the Chinese embassy urged Pakistani authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and projects in the country.
The BLA, which advocates for the autonomy of Pakistan’s resource-rich but impoverished Balochistan province, has frequently targeted Chinese nationals, accusing foreign investors of exploiting local resources without benefiting the ethnic Baloch population.
Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that flights from Karachi’s airport continued “as usual” and authorities were investigating the cause of the explosion.
