A Pakistani separatist group, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), claimed responsibility for a deadly bombing late Sunday night that targeted a convoy of Chinese nationals near Karachi’s largest airport. The attack, which killed two Chinese workers and injured eight others, including police officers escorting the convoy, is the latest in a series of violent assaults on Chinese interests in Pakistan.

The bombing occurred as a convoy of Chinese engineers and investors left the airport around 11 p.m. The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad confirmed that the victims were employed by the Port Qasim Electric Power Company, a joint China-Pakistan venture. Initially, conflicting reports suggested the explosion might have been caused by an oil tanker, but authorities later confirmed it was a bomb attack.

The BLA, based primarily in the volatile Balochistan province, has been involved in insurgent activities, often targeting foreign nationals and Pakistani security forces. A spokesman for the group claimed that one of their suicide bombers carried out the attack, continuing their longstanding opposition to Chinese presence in Balochistan, where Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is developing major infrastructure projects.

The attack comes just a week before Pakistan is set to host a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, a security grouping led by China and Russia. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing, calling it a “heinous terrorist attack” and vowing to punish those responsible. He extended condolences to China and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the safety of Chinese workers.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province, is rich in oil and minerals but has long been a hub of ethnic Baloch separatist activity. The insurgents claim discrimination and exploitation by the central government. The BLA has targeted Chinese nationals before, including a 2018 attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi and other incidents at BRI sites.

A Pakistani separatist group, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), claimed responsibility for a deadly bombing late Sunday night that targeted a convoy of Chinese nationals near Karachi’s largest airport. The attack, which killed two Chinese workers and injured eight others, including police officers escorting the convoy, is the latest in a series of violent assaults on Chinese interests in Pakistan.

The bombing occurred as a convoy of Chinese engineers and investors left the airport around 11 p.m. The Chinese Embassy in Islamabad confirmed that the victims were employed by the Port Qasim Electric Power Company, a joint China-Pakistan venture. Initially, conflicting reports suggested the explosion might have been caused by an oil tanker, but authorities later confirmed it was a bomb attack.

The BLA, based primarily in the volatile Balochistan province, has been involved in insurgent activities, often targeting foreign nationals and Pakistani security forces. A spokesman for the group claimed that one of their suicide bombers carried out the attack, continuing their longstanding opposition to Chinese presence in Balochistan, where Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is developing major infrastructure projects.

The attack comes just a week before Pakistan is set to host a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, a security grouping led by China and Russia. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing, calling it a “heinous terrorist attack” and vowing to punish those responsible. He extended condolences to China and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the safety of Chinese workers.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province, is rich in oil and minerals but has long been a hub of ethnic Baloch separatist activity. The insurgents claim discrimination and exploitation by the central government. The BLA has targeted Chinese nationals before, including a 2018 attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi and other incidents at BRI sites.