The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has targeted Chinese nationals again. Four people, including three Chinese citizens were killed by a female Baloch suicide bomber outside the Karachi University (KU) campus on Tuesday. The attack happened near the China-run Confucius Institute in the afternoon.
The killed included the director of the Confucius Institute Huang Guiping and two women teachers Ding Mupeng and Chen Sai. The fourth was Pakistani driver Khalid. According to Pakistani newspaper Dawn, the injured include Chinese national Wang Yuqing and a Pakistani national Hamid.
#BREAKING: 4 Chinese national died in a blast in a vehicle inside Karachi university. pic.twitter.com/7XCBRLRAwO
— Asad Ali Toor (@AsadAToor) April 26, 2022
A press release by Jeeyand Baloch, spokesperson for the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said that the suicide bombing was carried out by the Majeed Brigade of the BLA. The statement said: "Majeed Brigade of Baloch Liberation Army accepts responsibility of today’s self-sacrificing attack on Chinese in Karachi. The mission was carried out by first female fidayeen of the Brigade. Fidayee Shari Baloch alias Bramsh today added a new chapter in Baloch resistance history".
The BLA also shared a photograph of their female suicide bomber, who belonged to the group's deadly Majeed Brigade.
Pakistan watcher and geopolitical analyst Mark Kinra analysed the attack for India Narrative.
Kinra said: "The BLA’s Majeed Brigade continues its attack on Pakistani interests and Chinese nationals. After the 2020 Karachi Stock Exchange attack, this is BLA’s second attack in Karachi. However, this attack is extremely significant for two reasons–first, the Baloch freedom fighters don't believe that the regime change in Pakistan will do any good for Balochistan, despite Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif visiting Quetta. Second, it is the first time that a female fidayeen has sacrificed herself".
Kinra adds that the bombing by a female fidayeen shows that BLA is leaving no stone unturned in its mission for a free Balochistan and this probably shows that more people are joining the Baloch freedom movement.
Two killed, four injured in car blast at Karachi University, Karachi University spokesman said#UOk #karachi#karachiuniversity pic.twitter.com/zeTY8ThDMh
— Ebad Usmani (@Ebadus15) April 26, 2022
Just a week back the BLA had attacked a Pakistani military rest house along with adjacent security posts at the Wali Tangi Dam, near Balochistan capital Quetta. A BLA press release said that the attack was carried out by the BLA’s Special Tactical Operations Squad and they killed five personnel including Subaidar Major Fazal Gul of the Pakistani army.
This is not the first occasion when the BLA has targeted Chinese nationals or their assets. The group had launched a ‘spectacular’ attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi in November 2018. It has also bombed the Karachi Stock Exchange which has a major Chinese shareholding, two years later.
Besides, in 2019 the group had attacked the Pearl Continental Hotel in Gwadar, the starting point of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). BLA said that it had attacked the hotel as it an icon of the multi-billion-dollar CPEC, and was meant to deter investments from China and other countries.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah met Consul General Li Bijian at the Chinese Consulate, Karachi, after the attack. A statement by his office said that Shah expressed grief over the death of the three Chinese nationals and assured the diplomat that the incident would be fully investigated.
Read More:
In depth: How Baloch armed organisations are keeping Pakistani army on the tenterhooks
Chinese workers say they live in fear throughout Pakistan—BBC Urdu service
The Baloch Liberation Army's Majeed Brigade stuns Pakistan's Frontier Corps with audacious attacks
