Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar confirmed on Monday the arrest of two suspects involved in the Karachi airport attack last month that targeted Chinese nationals.
On October 6, a powerful explosion occurred near Jinnah International Airport, resulting in the deaths of three people, including two Chinese engineers, and injuring at least 11 others. The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. Police registered an FIR against BLA leaders and others three days after the incident.
Following the attack, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured China of his personal oversight in the investigation. In response, China pledged to work with Pakistan to ensure the safety of Chinese personnel and projects in the country.
During a press conference alongside the Inspector General of Police, Lanjar explained that a suicide bomber, driving a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VIED), attacked a convoy carrying Chinese nationals near Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport around 11 p.m. on October 6. The blast killed two Chinese nationals and one Pakistani citizen, leaving 21 others injured and damaging several vehicles due to the ensuing fire.
“This attack aims to disrupt Pakistan-China relations and sabotage the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project,” Lanjar stated, noting that the BLA had taken responsibility via social media.
Lanjar also revealed that the Sindh Counterterrorism Department (CTD) registered an FIR and formed a high-level joint investigation team, including law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The team used advanced forensic techniques to examine the scene and gather crucial evidence.
On the night of the arrest, an intelligence-based operation led to the capture of Javed alias Sameer, one of the masterminds behind the attack, and his accomplice Gul Nisa, who were apprehended while riding a motorcycle on CD Highway near Umar Goth Chowk, Karachi. Both suspects had entered Karachi via Hub.
“Investigations showed Javed’s direct involvement in the suicide bombing, while Gul Nisa facilitated him,” Lanjar added. The identity of the suicide bomber, Shah Fahad, was determined through his fingerprints, as much of his body was burned in the explosion.
Lanjar also explained that records of the vehicle used in the attack revealed it had been purchased in September 2024 for Rs7.1 million in cash from a Karachi showroom and transferred under the bomber’s name. The vehicle purchase was made using cash transferred via a private bank in Hub, Balochistan.
The investigation further revealed that the suicide bomber arrived in Karachi with a woman on October 4, stayed in a local hotel, and checked out on October 6. The bomber, along with his accomplices, then used the vehicle to circle the airport, recording the bomber’s final video and sending it to their BLA commander. At 9:30 p.m., the bomber and one accomplice remained in the vehicle while the third entered the airport. As the Chinese convoy exited, Javed, who was inside the airport, alerted the bomber, who then drove the explosive-laden vehicle toward the convoy and detonated it.
Lanjar commended the CTD and Sindh police for their efforts in uncovering the network behind the attack and announced a Rs50 million reward for them, along with recommendations for the Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal (QPM) and the President’s Police Medal (PPM).
The minister stressed that the attack was particularly tragic as China is Pakistan’s “brotherly neighbor” and vital for Pakistan’s economic growth.
The three remaining suspects at large were identified as Danish, Gul Rehman, and Bashir Zaid, the mastermind facilitating the attack from abroad. Farhan and Mohammed Syed, who are rickshaw drivers, were also involved in the attack.
CTD Senior Officer Raja Umar Khattab confirmed that Javed is a student at Karachi University and that two other suspects are still under investigation but not yet arrested.
Lanjar also issued a warning to groups like the BLA, urging them to cease such activities in Sindh. “We are closely monitoring foreign conspiracies that aim to destabilize Pakistan, especially in Sindh, and are committed to protecting the people and maintaining peace,” he said. He also reiterated Sindh’s respect for women, emphasizing that using women in such attacks would not be tolerated.
