Three Chinese nationals among 4 killed in Karachi suicide blast
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif meeting Chinese chargés d'affaires in Islamabad, Ms Pang xue. Islamabad 26th April, 2022.
Karachi: Four people including three Chinese nationals were killed and three others injured in a suicide blast carried out by a female bomber inside the University of Karachi on Tuesday, according to officials.
The bomber blew herself near a van transporting Chinese teachers from their hostel to the Confucious Institute located inside the University of Karachi.
The deceased include the director of the Confucious Institute officials said.
Karachi University Security Advisor Dr Zubair said that the van had entered the campus from the varsity’s Maskan Gate.
A CCTV footage showed a woman standing in wait outside the gate of the Confucious Institute. As the van approaches the gate and appears to pull up, the woman turns her back towards the vehicle and a massive explosion is seen.
Mobile phone footage taken after the blast showed a van engulfed in flames that burnt it completely. Only a charred skeleton was left. A motorcycle, reportedly used by Rangers personnel escorting the van, was also damaged.
The director of the institute and two women teachers — all three Chinese nationals — and their Pakistani van driver were killed.
University of Karachi officials identified the dead as Huang Guiping, Chen Sai, Ding Mupeng, and Khalid.
The dead and the wounded were moved to Patel Hospital, around two kilometer away.
The hospital administration said the injured included a Chinese national, a Rangers man and a security guard.
The wounded Chinese national, identified as Wang Yuqing, and the university guard were said to be in critical condition and moved to Aga Khan University Hospital. Police official confirmed that it was a suicide bombing.
Counter-terrorism Department chief Raja Umar Khattab told reporters at the University of Karachi that a female suicide bomber targeted the van after a “recce”.
He said that walk-through gates, like those installed at the university’s entrance gate, had proved inadequate in detecting explosive material in the past.
Khattab also confirmed reports that a separatist banned outfit from Balochistan had claimed responsibility for the attack. A statement was issued by banned Balochistan Liberation Army earlier.
Khattab said that Rangers personnel on motorbikes were escorting the van. He ruled out the possibility of an IED attack.
Earlier, East DIGP Muqaddas Haider said that the affected van had ball barring marks suggesting that explosive material was used in this attack.
The CCTV footage indicated the bomber entered the university in a rickshaw at 1:56pm.
Security guards at the Maskan gate said there was no female searcher at the gate on Tuesday and that people entering the university in vehicles were not body searched.
