Balochistan Liberation Front Claims Attack on Chinese Nationals in Karachi
The Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) claimed responsibility for an attack on Chinese nationals in Pakistan’s largest city Karachi on Wednesday. One Chinese citizen was injured in the shooting while another and their local driver went unharmed.
Police deputy inspector general Javed Akbar Riaz said the targeted individuals were travelling by car without police escort when “two men wearing face masks riding a motorcycle carried out the shooting.”
According to Dawn, the victim was an engineer sent to Karachi to service Chinese-made machinery at a factory in the city’s industrial district.
In the wake of the attack, senior counter-terrorism official Raja Umar Khattab stated that the Balochistan Liberation Front’s spokesperson Major Gohram formally claimed responsibility for the incident through social media.
The BLF is a separatist group fighting to establish an independent Balochi state—primarily targeting government security forces and, in other instances, those perceived as supporting their adversaries.
Their reasoning is made apparent in the statement released through Aashob, the organization’s official media cell:
Major Gwahram Baloch said that today morning, Sarmachaars attacked the vehicle of Chinese engineers at Sher Shah, in which both Chinese were seriously injured. Under the guise of development projects, China is not only partner with Pakistan in the plunder of Baloch national resources but is also fully supporting Pakistan in the Baloch genocide, including war crimes against the Baloch nation.
Major Gwahram Baloch further said that we have no war with any foreign power including China but any state or group including China supports Pakistan in Pakistani occupation of Balochistan, looting of resources and war crimes, will be targeted.
Therefore, we warn all other nations and countries, including China, to refrain from supporting Pakistan.