2 Chinese nationals killed in explosion near Karachi airport

Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) - which has in recent years carried out attacks on Chinese nationals involved in projects - has claimed responsibility for the attack.

In Short

• Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claims responsibility for "suicide bombing"
• Blast caused by suspected improvised explosive device (IED), says Sindh Home Minister
• People across the city could hear the blast sound, according to local media reports

At least two Chinese nationals were killed, and 10 others were injured in a massive explosion near Jinnah International Airport in Pakistan's Karachi on Sunday, October 6.

In a statement, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan said that the incident happened at 11 pm (local time) when a tanker exploded outside Jinnah International Airport.

"We extend our deepest sympathies to the injured and their families during this difficult time," the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan said in a statement.

"We urge the Pakistani authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens, institutions, and projects operating in Pakistan," the embassy added.

After the incident, the terrorist group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the "suicide bombing" that had "targeted a high-level convoy of Chinese engineers and investors" arriving from Karachi airport.

Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar, speaking to Geo News, said that the explosion was caused by a suspected improvised explosive device (IED), in which one foreigner was also injured.

The residents across the city heard the blast and could see plumes of smoke billowing from the area, according to initial news reports. The people injured in the blast have been shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

Television footage showed smoke rising from the area, with a large fire visible on a road near the blast site. The explosion was reportedly heard in different parts of the city, including North Nazimabad, and Karimabad.

The fire that sparked from the blast spread as a few vehicles were set ablaze near the airport, an area typically used by VIP protocol vehicles.

The explosion occurred on the road leading out of the airport, as reported by another journalist at the scene.

Earlier in March this year, five Chinese nationals and a local were killed in an explosion by a suicide bomber in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The incident happened when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers that was on its way from Islamabad to their camp in Dasu.

Chinese nationals have been engaged in several projects in Pakistan with its "all-weather" ally China having invested billions in infrastructure projects as part of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under its Belt and Road initiative.