Pakistan: Suicide bomb attack on vehicle carrying Japanese nationals in Karachi
Karachi suicider attack: All five foreigners survived the attack. The suicide bomber and two militants were killed in retaliatory fire by the police.
At least two people were killed in a suicide blast attack in Pakistan's Karachi on Friday that struck a vehicle in which foreign nationals were travelling, broadcaster Geo News reported.
All five foreigners in the vehicle survived the attack, the report said, adding that the suicide bomber and two terrorists were killed in retaliatory fire by the police.
Terrorists seeking to overthrow the government and set up their own strict brand of Islamic rule have launched some of Pakistan's bloodiest attacks over the last few years, sometimes targeting foreigners, such as Chinese, news agency Reuters reported.
The Japanese survivors have been moved to a safe place in police custody, the police spokesperson, Abrar Hussain Baloch, said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack from any militant group.
The Karachi Police confirmed that it was a suicide attack. It said another vehicle was also damaged in the explosion, Geo News reported.
As per initial reports shared by the police, the second terrorist killed in the encounter was also a suicide bomber.
“A suicide jacket and a grenade are tied to the terrorist's body,” the police said, adding that a bomb disposal team is reaching the site of the attack.
The law enforcement agency also shared that the foreign nationals were working in the export processing zone, the report said.
Jinnah Hospital officials told Geo News that three injured were brought to the medical facility out of which two were critically injured. The injured, which included two security guards and a passerby, were identified as Noor Muhammad, Langar Khan and Salman Rafiq.
They also confirmed that no foreign national was injured in the accident.
"After the explosion, a terrorist was firing at the vehicle," Geo News quoted a security guard, who was with the nationals and witnessed the incident, as saying.
Meanwhile, Sindh governor Kamran Tessori condemned the suicide attack in Landhi, directing the CCPO and IG to present a report on the attack.
"Terrorism will not be tolerated in the city under any circumstances," the governor said.