A police spokesperson has revealed that five Japanese nationals in Pakistan have escaped unhurt on Friday from a suicide bomb attack on their vehicle as police shot at a gunman escorting the bomber.
However, two bystanders were among the three injured.
Islamist militants looking to overthrow the government and set up their own strict brand of Islamic rule have instigated some of Pakistan’s bloodiest attacks during the last few years, with some separatist groups preying on foreigners, including the Chinese.
No militant group has claimed responsibility for this rare attack on Japanese nationals as of press time, but Pakistani authorities have identified them as engineers working for the management of an export processing zone in the port city.
The Japanese have been moved to a safe place in police custody.
The police spokesperson, Abrar Hussain Baloch, has now revealed that the Japanese nationals have been moved to a safe place in police custody. The bystanders and a guard with the visitors sustained injuries.
One of the two motorcycle-borne attackers had set off explosives tied to his body as soon as the vehicle the Japanese had been in slowed, according to Pakistani counter-terrorism official, Raja Umar Khatab. The terrorists had failed to strike their target, prompting his accomplice to start shooting at the vehicle.
“I think he fired some 15 or 16 shots,” Khatab had said, adding that private security guards escorting the foreigners and a nearby police patrol had returned fire, killing the second attacker instantly.
Khatab had also revealed that the men had followed the Japanese group’s vehicle for quite some time before the attack, and the authorities have suspected that they carried out reconnaissance to identify the target and location of the attack.
Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif has meanwhile, condemned the attack, praising the well timed police action for saving lives.
