The Chinese embassy in Pakistan have revealed that two of its citizens were killed in an explosion near the international airport of the southern Pakistani city of Karachi on Sunday night, in what it has now described it to be a “terrorist attack”.
A statement emailed to journalists had revealed that a separatist militant group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) was claiming that the explosion was an attack carried out by them using a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device which targeted Chinese nationals, including engineers.
Pakistan broadcaster Geo News reported that at least 10 people were injured in the explosion in addition to some fatalities. At press time, the nature of the blast is still yet to be revealed.
The BLA is seeking independence for the province of Balochistan, a territory located in Pakistan’s southwest and bordering on Afghanistan and Iran.
Back in August, it launched planned attacks in the province, where over 70 people were killed.
The BLA particularly targets Chinese interests – the strategic port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea in particular– accusing Beijing of helping Islamabad exploit the province.
The group previously killed Chinese citizens working in the region and attacked Beijing’s consulate in Karachi.
