The security of all foreigners including Chinese citizens has been beefed up across Punjab after Karachi blast which claimed lives of three Chinese nationals. DIG SPU Muntazir Mehdi issued the directives of increasing the security of foreign nationals and ordered to follow the security advisory regarding the security of Chinese nationals. He said that the security of Chinese nationals is of utmost importance and negligence at any level will not be tolerated. In Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, a powerful suicide bomb blast targeted a convoy transporting Chinese nationals late on Sunday, killing at least three people and leaving 10 others injured. The initial reports stated that the suicide bomber was waiting for the Chinese convoy near Jinnah airport to approach before executing the attack. Investigators informed that the terrorist rammed the explosive-laden vehicle directly into the foreign nationals’ car that caused massive destruction and damage to several nearby cars. Soon after the blast, rescue teams quickly reached the scene, managing to safely retrieve one of the foreigners’ vehicles.

Authorities are currently working to obtain the car’s number plate and engine chassis number to aid in the investigation. Investigators are now working to gather details about the damaged vehicles. The powerful explosion, heard miles away, occurred outside the airport. Authorities assured that all airport installations were safe and that flight operations were not affected. In a statement, the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad condemned the “terrorist attack,” confirming the deaths of two Chinese citizens and noting that another was injured. The embassy expressed its condolences to the victims’ families and said it is coordinating with Pakistani authorities following the incident. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, directing security agencies to bring those responsible to justice. In a separate statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry also denounced the attack, describing it as an assault not only on Pakistan but also on its “enduring friendship” with China.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan