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| Blast kills two Chinese near Pakistan's Karachi airport | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Two Chinese nationals have been killed after an explosion near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, Pakistan. | |
| The Chinese embassy in Pakistan said "many Pakistani personnel were killed and injured" in the blast, which happened around 23:00 local time (17:00 GMT). The overall death toll is as yet unclear. | |
| The embassy added that the explosion targeted a convoy of Chinese engineers working on a power project in the country's Sindh province. | |
| The separatist 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 a statement released on Monday, the militant group said it had "targeted a high-level convoy of Chinese engineers and investors" arriving from Karachi airport. | In a statement released on Monday, the militant group said it had "targeted a high-level convoy of Chinese engineers and investors" arriving from Karachi airport. |
| The Chinese embassy said that the engineers were part of the Chinese-funded enterprise Port Qasim Power Generation Co Ltd, which aims to build two coal power plants at Port Qasim, near Karachi. | |
| The plant is part of the China-Pakistan economic corridor, which is also funding a number of infrastructure and energy projects in Pakistan's Balochistan province, which has a rich supply of natural resources, including gas and minerals. | |
| The BLA along with other ethnic Baloch groups has fought a long-running insurgency for a separate homeland. | The BLA along with other ethnic Baloch groups has fought a long-running insurgency for a separate homeland. |
| It has regularly targeted Chinese nationals in the region, claiming ethnic Baloch residents were not receiving their share of wealth extracted from foreign investors. | It has regularly targeted Chinese nationals in the region, claiming ethnic Baloch residents were not receiving their share of wealth extracted from foreign investors. |
| There has also been heightened security in Pakistan as it prepares to host the leaders' summit of the Shangai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). | There has also been heightened security in Pakistan as it prepares to host the leaders' summit of the Shangai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). |
| The blast was reportedly heard in various areas around the city, with footage from local media showing thick smoke and cars set alight. | The blast was reportedly heard in various areas around the city, with footage from local media showing thick smoke and cars set alight. |
| Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar said that the explosion was likely to be have been caused by a suspected improvised explosive device (IED). | |
| A police surgeon, Dr Summaiya told Dawn news: "Ten injured persons, including one in critical condition, have been brought the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical College (JPMC)." | |
| She added the injured included a police constable and a woman. | She added the injured included a police constable and a woman. |
| A statement posted on X from Sindh's Interior Minister's office said that a "tanker truck" had exploded on Airport Road and said the minister was in contact with the Malir Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) regarding the incident. | A statement posted on X from Sindh's Interior Minister's office said that a "tanker truck" had exploded on Airport Road and said the minister was in contact with the Malir Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) regarding the incident. |
| "We need to ascertain the facts," the statement said. | "We need to ascertain the facts," the statement said. |