China has funded development of a deep-water port at Gwadar in south Baluchistan, and is also investing in other projects on a China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Three suicide bombers attacked the Chinese consulate early on Friday, but were killed before entering the building, the city’s police chief said.
Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered an inquiry into the incident and termed the attack an attempt to sabotage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.
China “strongly condemned” the attack and asked Pakistan to take measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the country, as well as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) mega-project.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said China would “continue unswervingly” to work with Pakistan to develop economic projects.
Three suicide jackets were seized from the site. At least one of the attackers was wearing a suicide vest which did not detonate, a senior police official said.
A CCTV footage obtained by the authorities showed the attackers, dressed in shirts and trousers and carrying guns, walking towards the consulate and firing shots.
The attack on China’s consulate in Karachi was claimed by the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) insurgent group that opposes Chinese projects linked to its Belt and Road initiative in resource-rich Baluchistan.
China has funded development of a deep-water port at Gwadar in south Baluchistan, and is also investing in other projects on a China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Baluchistan, which is on the borders of Afghanistan and Iran, has rich mineral and natural gas reserves but is Pakistan’s poorest province.
The terrorists would be identified soon with the help of forensics, the authorities said, adding that they were also investigating claims that the gunmen belonged to a separatist group.
