KARACHI: At least one person sustained minor injuries in a remote-controlled explosion targeting a Chinese engineer in Karachi's Gulshan-i-Hadeed area on Monday, police said.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rao Anwar said a pamphlet written in Sindhi and bearing the name of a group called 'Sindhudesh Revolutionary Party' was recovered from the site of the blast. The pamphlet denounced "foreign control over Sindh's natural resources".

The pamphlet read [Translation]: "We consider China, rising as a global power, to be an ally of Pakistan, and also consider it an accomplice of the Punjabi Establishment in making Sindh slave to loot its resources, and therefore we accept the responsibility of bomb attack on Chinese in Gulshan-i-Hadeed."

"We want to make it clear to China that we will oppose every anti-Sindh project including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)," it further said.

A closer view of the damaged vehicle. ─ DawnNews
A closer view of the damaged vehicle. ─ DawnNews

The injured was a driver for a Chinese engineer who was residing in the area and traveling on the National Highway heading towards Port Qasim from Gulshan-i-Hadeed without security. The Chinese national was safe, said SSP Rao.

The pamphlet recovered from the site of the blast. ─ DawnNews
The pamphlet recovered from the site of the blast. ─ DawnNews

Police cordoned off the area and collected evidence from the scene for investigation. Five hundred grams of explosives were used in the improvised explosive device (IED), which included nuts and bolts.

Witnesses from a truck nearby reported seeing a suspicious item in the green belt of the road, which exploded as the black vehicle carrying the Chinese engineer passed by.

According to DIG East Zone Dr Kamran Fazal, the roadside bomb was planted opposite Quaid-i-Azam Park along National Highway.

Gulshan-i-Hadeed is a neighbourhood in Karachi's Bin Qasim Town. The town is situated near Pakistan Steel Mills and houses its workers.

Hundreds of Chinese workers are currently working all over Pakistan on various development projects, including the CPEC and the Thar coal power project.

In Aug 2015, the Sindh police claimed to have chalked out a comprehensive security plan for Chinese nationals and professionals visiting Karachi and other parts of the province for CPEC-related projects. Nearly six months ago, for 111 Chinese projects, the Sindh police were ensuring security to more than 1,500 nationals of the neighbouring country.

A view of the vehicle's interior. ─ DawnNews
A view of the vehicle's interior. ─ DawnNews

The main responsibility for securing the corridor, vital to Pakistan's long-term prosperity, lies with a new army division established in the last few months and numbering an estimated 13,000 troops.

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and Inspector General (IG) Sindh AD Khawaja took notice of the incident and called for an investigation.

Opinion

Editorial

Race against time
Updated 09 Feb, 2025

Race against time

While some bright spots emerged at Breathe Pakistan moot, we must streamline our climate governance.
Open door
09 Feb, 2025

Open door

THE door is still open for talks, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has reminded the PTI. What matters, however,...
Football suspension
09 Feb, 2025

Football suspension

ONCE again, Pakistan has been ousted from the global football family. FIFA recently suspended the Pakistan Football...
A year later
Updated 08 Feb, 2025

A year later

A war of egos has been fought between a handful of individuals at the cost of the well-being of millions of ordinary Pakistanis.
Wheat decision
08 Feb, 2025

Wheat decision

THE federal decision to stop setting the minimum support price for wheat and cease the staple’s procurement...
Dhanmondi attack
08 Feb, 2025

Dhanmondi attack

HISTORY has shown that unless states deliver development and equal rights to all, disenfranchised people can target...