Five Japanese workers narrowly escape suicide attack in Karachi, guard killed

KARACHI: Five Japanese workers narrowly escaped on Friday after a suicide attack killed their security guard in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, police said.

The Japanese nationals were traveling in a Hiace van to an industrial area, where they worked at Pakistan Suzuki Motors, when the suicide bomber detonated his explosive-laden vest near the van, according to local police chief Arshad Awan.

Police escorting the vehicle returned fire after coming under attack, killing an accomplice of the suicide bomber whose remains were found from the scene of the attack, he added.

“All the Japanese who were the target of the attack are safe,” Awan told media.

Two security guards and a bystander were wounded in the attack, according to police. One of the security guards, Noor Muhammad, later succumbed to his injuries.

“Noor Mohammad had been working in this company for more than two years,” Muhammad’s brother Rahib Ali told reporters outside the Jinnah hospital.

“The deceased had only one child who was born a few days ago. Noor Mohammad did not even visit home on Eid.”

Television footage on local news channels widely showed a damaged van, as police officers arrived at the scene of the attack. Awan said the three passersby who were wounded in the attack were in stable condition at a hospital.

Police were escorting the van after receiving reports about possible attacks on foreigners who are working in Pakistan on various Chinese-funded and other projects, said Tariq Mastoi, a senior police officer. He said a timely and quick response from the guards and police foiled the attack and both attackers were killed.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incident, according to a statement posted on X.

“Timely action by the police saved us from any major loss of life,” he said. “We will not rest until terrorism has been completely eradicated. We will thwart every nefarious act of disturbing the law and order situation.”

Murad Ali Shah, the chief minister of Sindh, of which Karachi is the provincial capital, directed the inspector general to submit a report after investigating the attack, including details on who the attackers were, where they came from, any information on their facilitators and details of explosives used in the blast.

He directed that immediate arrangements be made for the security of all foreigners in the province.

“Anti-national elements want to disrupt law and order, which will not be allowed at any cost,” the CM said, praising what he called timely action of the police in thwarting the attack.

No one immediately claimed responsibility, but suspicion is likely to fall on a small separatist group or the Pakistani Taliban who have stepped up attacks on security forces.

In recent weeks, insurgents have also targeted Chinese who are working in Pakistan on projects relating to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which includes a multitude of megaprojects such as road construction, power plants and agriculture.

In March, five Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed when a suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan rammed his explosive-laden car into a vehicle when they were heading to the Dasu Dam, the biggest hydropower project in Pakistan, where they worked.

However, Japanese working in Pakistan have not been the target of any such attacks.

- With inputs from AP