A woman suicide bomber was caught on camera blowing herself up close to a van carrying Chinese nationals at the University of Karachi’s Confucius Institute.
Dawn newspaper reported at least four people including three Chinese nationals were killed while four others were injured in the attack
Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack.
Television footage showed a white van in flames with plumes of smoke rising from its remains while the windows of nearby buildings were shattered. The van appeared to be turning towards the Confucius Institute, located next to the commerce department when the incident took place.
CCTV footage of the attack showed a burqa-clad woman standing outside the entrance of the Confucius Institute. The woman detonated herself just as the van neared the institute’s entrance.
A spokesperson for the university confirmed that three of the victims were Chinese nationals. They were identified as Confucius Institute Director Huang Guiping, Ding Mupeng, Chen Sai, and Khalid, the driver.
The spokesperson also identified two of the injured as Wang Yuqing and Hamid.
“Academic activities and public dealings will remain suspended at KU on Wednesday (tomorrow) to mourn the loss of the Confucius Institute’s faculty members,” the spokesperson said.
Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) official Raja Umar Khattab said that the suicide attack was carried out by a woman, adding that ball bearings were found at the site of the blast.
He said the van was properly guarded as a Rangers team was escorting it which was why an improvised explosive device (IED) was not used instead.
