KARACHI: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has indicted two accused persons, including the alleged mastermind of suicide bombing near the Karachi airport that killed two Chinese nationals and a Pakistani citizen in 2024.

The accused persons, Javaid and his female aide Gul Nisa, said to be associated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), were brought to the ATC court, where the judge read out the charges against the accused persons.

However, they did not plead guilty and opted to contest the accusations.

Therefore, the court has issued notices to the prosecution witnesses with a direction to appear before it on March 17 to record their testimonies.

The prosecution said that a suicide attack on a Chinese convoy was carried out near Karachi Airport in October 2024 that claimed the lives of two foreigners and one Pakistani national while 11 others sustained injuries.

It contended that during investigations, the alleged mastermind of the attack, Muhammad Javed alias Sameer, said to be associated with the banned BLA, had disclosed that the facilitation and financing of the attack were carried out by the BLA’s Majeed Brigade.

The prosecution also maintained that the female accused, Gul Nisa, had travelled in the alleged bomb-fitted car — which was used in suicide attack — when they were coming to Karachi from Hub.

The BLA commander, Bashir Ahmed alias Bashir Zeb, Abdul Rehman alias Rehman Gul have also been declared as proclaimed offenders in the case while the suicide attacker was identified as Shah Fahad.

The police had also registered a second FIR on the alleged confession made by Javaid, implicating a banker, Bilal, and a trader, Saeed Ali.

The prosecution also maintained that a vehicle was purchased for Rs7.1 million from a showroom while Saeed and Bilal were facilitators as the account used for the payment was registered under the name of Saeed Ali Traders and the bank officer facilitated the transfer of payment.

The vehicle was registered through the excise and taxation department and was later fitted with explosive materials and used in the bombing, it added.

The main case was registered at CTD police station for offences under Sections 302, 353, 324, 186, 427 of the Pakistan Penal Code read with provisions of ATA and Explosive Substance Act.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2026