KARACHI: The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has linked the suicide bombing near Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), suggesting the involvement of a foreign intelligence agency aiming to destabilize Pakistan-China relations.
The CTD presented its preliminary report to the anti-terrorism court, revealing that the attack was carried out by a terrorist who drove a vehicle close to a convoy of Chinese nationals before detonating a bomb.
The explosion took place near the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guard room, located near the airport’s outer terminal.
The blast claimed the lives of three people, including Chinese nationals Li Jun and Sun Huazhen. The report also revealed that more than a dozen people, including police and Rangers personnel, were injured in the attack.
Among the injured were individuals identified as Waqar, Ilyas, Naeem, Rano Khan, Azeem, Tariq, Ali, Hamza, and Sabeeh.
The BLA has since claimed responsibility for the bombing, and the CTD’s report suggested that the attackers may have received assistance from a foreign intelligence agency hostile to Pakistan. The explosion resulted in the destruction of 15 vehicles, underscoring the scale of the attack.
A case has been registered at the Airport police station, with charges including murder, attempted murder, assault, possession of explosives, and terrorism. Investigations are ongoing as authorities work to uncover further details surrounding the attack and its potential international connections.