Karachi Blast: A burqa-clad female suicide bomber blew up a van at Karachi University in Karachi, Pakistan, on April 26. Four people, including three Chinese civilians, were killed in this attack. The attack took place near the Confucius Institute in the university.
The Chinese language is taught in this institute. The Chinese nationals who died were identified as Huang Guiping, Ding Mupeng and Chen Sa, directors of the Confucius Institute. Wang Yuqing was injured in the explosion.
Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson said that the cowardly incident is a direct attack on Pakistan-China friendship and ongoing cooperation. Pakistan and China are close friends and brothers.
Pakistan attaches great importance to the security of Chinese citizens, projects and institutions here. Regarding this attack, it was claimed that the attack was targeted at Chinese citizens.
It is understandable that this is not the first time that Chinese citizens in Karachi have been the target of terrorist attacks. In July last year, masked armed men on motorcycles opened fire on a vehicle carrying two Chinese nationals in an industrial area in Karachi, seriously injuring one of them.
That same month, nearly a dozen Chinese engineers were killed when a bus carrying construction workers was attacked near a dam project in the mountainous region of northwest Pakistan. In November 2018, Baloch militants attacked the Chinese consulate in Karachi but failed to breach the security barrier. Three of the attackers were killed on the spot.
Tensions have escalated in Balochistan in recent years following a massive influx of Chinese investments. China is upgrading energy links and infrastructure as part of a $54 billion program called the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Separatist groups in the restive Balochistan province have claimed to have carried out a series of attacks on Chinese nationals who work in large numbers in different parts of Pakistan, especially in Balochistan and Karachi, as a result of projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Thousands of Chinese citizens are working in Pakistan on several ongoing projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. In May 2017, 10 workers were killed by two gunmen on motorcycles, which was claimed by the BLA as a reaction to the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
According to 'Global Times', as the CPEC has entered a critical period, some separatist and extreme forces think that CPEC is an achievement of the Government of Pakistan, detrimental to their desire for independence. That's why they have a hostile attitude towards the projects related to it. Attacks in Pakistan have increased since last year and attacks targeting Chinese people and companies have also increased.
The Chinese embassy on Tuesday reminded Chinese citizens, companies and projects to pay close attention to the security situation in Pakistan, improve security measures and not leave unless necessary.
Pakistan has increased the security of CPEC projects, especially after the Dasu attack last year. Citizens of Balochistan are opposing CPEC. If this corridor is completed, it is expected that many people from other provinces of Pakistan will leave their province and settle in Balochistan.
