University of Karachi bombing | |
---|---|
Part of the insurgency in Balochistan | |
Location | Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
Date | 26 April 2022 |
Target | Chinese lecturers of Karachi University |
Attack type | suicide bombing |
Deaths | 5 (including the perpetrator) |
Injured | 4 |
Perpetrator | BLA [1] and BLF [2] |
On 26 April 2022, a suicide bombing hit a van near the University of Karachi's Confucius Institute, killing three Chinese academics and their Pakistani driver. The Balochistan Liberation Army, [3] claimed responsibility, saying that the perpetrator was the organization's first female suicide bomber. [4] [5]
Of the three Chinese killed, one was the director of the University's Confucius Institute. The other two were teachers. [6] China losing confidence in Pakistan's ability to secure Chinese nationals, has since requested permission to deploy Chinese private security contractors to Pakistan. [7]
The Balochistan Liberation Army, a group internationally designated as a terrorist organization, [3] claimed responsibility for the bombing, which it said was done to discourage Chinese development programs in the region. [8]
The bomber was identified as Shari Baloch, a 30-year-old female and secondary school science teacher from Kech District in Balochistan. [9] [6] [10] [11] She held bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the Allama Iqbal Open University, and had also obtained a master's degree in zoology from the University of Balochistan. [10] [11] She had reportedly enrolled in another postgraduate degree at the University of Karachi months before the attack, but was not reported to be a student there at the time. [8] [11] [12] Shari had a daughter and son, both reportedly aged five, with her husband Habitan Bashir Baloch, who is also from Kech and a dentist. [8] [13] [10] [12] [14] In 2019, Shari Baloch landed a job in the Balochistan Education Department and was employed at a government secondary school in Kalatak, near Turbat, where she taught science to female students. [11] However, she had been absent from the school since six months before the attack and had been served a show-cause notice, to which she had not responded. [10] Her husband, Habitan, was also a lecturer at the Makran Medical College, and was undertaking a postgraduate degree in public health from the Jinnah Sindh Medical University. [10] [11] Her husband was reported to be involved in a training programme at Karachi's Jinnah Hospital, and had been staying in a hotel near the hospital at the time. [11] The couple had rented an apartment in Gulistan-e-Johar, where Shari had been living for the past three years. [12] [14]
Shari Baloch's family has been described as "well-established, educated with no previous affiliation with any Baloch insurgent group." [10] However, Shari herself had remained a member of the Baloch Students Organisation (Azad) group during her student life. [10] Her motivations for the attack could not be ascertained, as no one in her immediate family had reportedly been a victim of human rights abuses. [10] Hours before the attack, Baloch posted a farewell message on her Twitter account. [10] Soon after the bombing occurred, her husband posted a Tweet in which he eulogised and praised Shari, describing her action as a "selfless act". [13] Her husband's whereabouts were not known immediately after the attack, with raids being carried out by security forces to apprehend him and other suspected facilitators. [12] On 27 April, Habitan Bashir Baloch, husband of Karachi University suicide bomber Shari Baloch, was arrested by security personnel, a day after the explosion, news agency ANI reported citing Pakistan's ARY News. Habitan is being interrogated by authorities. In a briefing chaired by Pakistan's interior minister, Rana Sanaullah, China's ambassador to Pakistan was apprised about the latest developments in the case. [15]
Authorities in Pakistan said they have arrested a key orchestrator of the Karachi University bombing in July, [16] the attack was the result of the combined efforts of two insurgent groups, the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). [2]
The attack was strongly condemned by Pakistan, [17] China, [18] Saudi Arabia, [19] United Arab Emirates, [20] Oman, [21] India, [22] Kuwait, [23] the United States, [24] [25] European Union, [26] United Nations [27] and United Nation Security Council. [28]
University of Karachi bombing | |
---|---|
Part of the insurgency in Balochistan | |
Location | Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
Date | 26 April 2022 |
Target | Chinese lecturers of Karachi University |
Attack type | suicide bombing |
Deaths | 5 (including the perpetrator) |
Injured | 4 |
Perpetrator | BLA [1] and BLF [2] |
On 26 April 2022, a suicide bombing hit a van near the University of Karachi's Confucius Institute, killing three Chinese academics and their Pakistani driver. The Balochistan Liberation Army, [3] claimed responsibility, saying that the perpetrator was the organization's first female suicide bomber. [4] [5]
Of the three Chinese killed, one was the director of the University's Confucius Institute. The other two were teachers. [6] China losing confidence in Pakistan's ability to secure Chinese nationals, has since requested permission to deploy Chinese private security contractors to Pakistan. [7]
The Balochistan Liberation Army, a group internationally designated as a terrorist organization, [3] claimed responsibility for the bombing, which it said was done to discourage Chinese development programs in the region. [8]
The bomber was identified as Shari Baloch, a 30-year-old female and secondary school science teacher from Kech District in Balochistan. [9] [6] [10] [11] She held bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the Allama Iqbal Open University, and had also obtained a master's degree in zoology from the University of Balochistan. [10] [11] She had reportedly enrolled in another postgraduate degree at the University of Karachi months before the attack, but was not reported to be a student there at the time. [8] [11] [12] Shari had a daughter and son, both reportedly aged five, with her husband Habitan Bashir Baloch, who is also from Kech and a dentist. [8] [13] [10] [12] [14] In 2019, Shari Baloch landed a job in the Balochistan Education Department and was employed at a government secondary school in Kalatak, near Turbat, where she taught science to female students. [11] However, she had been absent from the school since six months before the attack and had been served a show-cause notice, to which she had not responded. [10] Her husband, Habitan, was also a lecturer at the Makran Medical College, and was undertaking a postgraduate degree in public health from the Jinnah Sindh Medical University. [10] [11] Her husband was reported to be involved in a training programme at Karachi's Jinnah Hospital, and had been staying in a hotel near the hospital at the time. [11] The couple had rented an apartment in Gulistan-e-Johar, where Shari had been living for the past three years. [12] [14]
Shari Baloch's family has been described as "well-established, educated with no previous affiliation with any Baloch insurgent group." [10] However, Shari herself had remained a member of the Baloch Students Organisation (Azad) group during her student life. [10] Her motivations for the attack could not be ascertained, as no one in her immediate family had reportedly been a victim of human rights abuses. [10] Hours before the attack, Baloch posted a farewell message on her Twitter account. [10] Soon after the bombing occurred, her husband posted a Tweet in which he eulogised and praised Shari, describing her action as a "selfless act". [13] Her husband's whereabouts were not known immediately after the attack, with raids being carried out by security forces to apprehend him and other suspected facilitators. [12] On 27 April, Habitan Bashir Baloch, husband of Karachi University suicide bomber Shari Baloch, was arrested by security personnel, a day after the explosion, news agency ANI reported citing Pakistan's ARY News. Habitan is being interrogated by authorities. In a briefing chaired by Pakistan's interior minister, Rana Sanaullah, China's ambassador to Pakistan was apprised about the latest developments in the case. [15]
Authorities in Pakistan said they have arrested a key orchestrator of the Karachi University bombing in July, [16] the attack was the result of the combined efforts of two insurgent groups, the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). [2]
The attack was strongly condemned by Pakistan, [17] China, [18] Saudi Arabia, [19] United Arab Emirates, [20] Oman, [21] India, [22] Kuwait, [23] the United States, [24] [25] European Union, [26] United Nations [27] and United Nation Security Council. [28]