Two Chinese workers killed in blast outside Karachi airport
A massive explosion outside Pakistan’s Karachi airport on Monday killed two Chinese workers and injured at least eight others including Pakistani citizens.
Videos circulating on social media showed a thick plume of smoke rising from the scene. The spot was immediately cordoned off and military personnel were deployed.
Rahat Hussain, a worker in the civil aviation department, said the blast was “so big” that it shook the airport’s buildings.
Provincial home minister Zia Ul Hassan told Geo TV station that the explosion was an “attack targeting foreigners”.
Deputy Inspector General East Azfar Mahesar said the attack seemed like an oil tanker explosion. “According to initial information, an oil tanker caught fire which spread to several other vehicles causing collateral damage. We are determining if there was an element of terrorism involved which we cannot rule out at the moment,” he added.
The militant group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement emailed to journalists. The group said the explosion was an attack carried out by them using a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device targeting Chinese nationals, including engineers.
China reacts
The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan described the explosion as a “terrorist attack” and said a convoy from the Port Qasim Electric Power Company was attacked near the airport. The embassy said it has been working with authorities in Pakistan.
“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 (their) families,” read a statement from the Embassy.
Thousands of Chinese nationals, mostly engineers and other construction workers have been deployed by Chinese companies that are building infrastructure projects as part of the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Why BLA targets Chinese workers?
The BLA is seeking independence for the province of Balochistan, in Pakistan’s southwest and bordering Afghanistan and Iran. The group considers Pakistan’s control of the province as an “occupation”.
The strategic port of Gwadar, a key strategic point in the Arabian Sea, is located in Balochistan. The BLA accuses Beijing of helping Pakistan to exploit the province of its rich mineral resources while continuing to suppress the rights of people in the region.
BLA specifically targets Chinese interests, including infrastructure projects and Chinese workers in the region. It has previously killed Chinese citizens working in the region and attacked Beijing’s consulate in Karachi.