China demands thorough probe into KU attack

BEIJING: China on Wednesday demanded that the Pakistani side should immediately make a thorough investigation in the Karachi University suicide attack.

Assistant Minister for Chinese Foreign Affairs Wu Jianghao made an urgent phone call to the Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque to express extremely grave concern. He said that Pakistan should apprehend and punish the perpetrators to the full extent of the law, and take all possible measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens in Pakistan and prevent such incidents from happening again.

China has expressed its strong condemnation of the Karachi suicide attack and extended deep condolences to the victims and sympathies to the families of the injured and bereaved. “The Chinese side expresses strong condemnation and indignation over this major terrorist attack and extends deep condolences to the victims and sympathies to the injured and bereaved families,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

“On the afternoon of April 26, a van of the Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi was hit by a suicide terrorist attack. So far, the incident has left three Chinese teachers dead and one injured. There are also casualties on the Pakistani side,” he said in a statement issued here.

“The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan and Consulate-General in Karachi are working with the Pakistani side to deal with the follow-up matters of the casualties,” the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said that the Chinese Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions in Pakistan had activated the emergency response mechanism immediately after the incident.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad on the evening of April 26 to convey condolences, saying that the government will conduct an in-depth probe into the incident, give exemplary punishment to the perpetrators, and strengthen the security of Chinese personnel, projects and institutions in Pakistan in an all-round way. He said his government will never allow any force to undermine the Pakistan-China friendship. Local authorities in Sindh and Karachi have launched a full-scale investigation to hunt down the perpetrators.

The spokesperson said that the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Chinese diplomatic missions in Pakistan would continue to urge relevant Pakistani departments to handle the follow-up matters properly of those killed, treat the injured, and resolutely crackdown on the terrorist organisation involved.

“The blood of the Chinese people should not be shed in vain, and those behind this incident will surely pay the price,” added PM Shehbaz. Meanwhile, Pakistan's ambassador to China has expressed shock and mourned the loss of precious lives including Chinese nationals in the Karachi terrorist attack. “The entire nation is in shock and mourns the loss of these precious lives including our Chinese friends,” he said in a message. He said that this cowardly act was a direct attack on the Pakistan-China friendship and ongoing cooperation.

Meanwhile, Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of the Sindh Police has named the commanders, operatives and facilitators of outlawed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade in the First Information Report (FIR). The provisions for murder cases, attempted murder, terrorism and explosives act were added to the FIR. The case was registered on behalf of Mobina Town police station SHO Basharat Hussain.

“During investigation, I received intelligence-based information that BLA’s spokesperson for Majeed Brigade has claimed the responsibility of the attack on social media, with mentioning identity of the female suicide bomber,” the complainant in the FIR stated. “After verifying the BLA’s claim, it has been revealed that BLA’s commander Bashir Zaib, Majeed Brigade’s commander Captain Rehman Gul, spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch and other militants and facilitators carried out the suicide attack while using their organisation’s female member Shari Baloch.” He claimed in the FIR that the BLA by carrying out this attack, attempted to hatch conspiracy to damage the relations between Pakistan and China as well as integrity of the Pakistan while a foreign spy agency could have also been involved.”

“No educational record that could suggest that Shari Baloch was a student of University of Karachi and staying at the varsity’s hostel, found so far," clarified Karachi Police chief Additional IG Ghulam Nabi Memon, while quoting the varsity authorities. “Two separate police teams – one led by DIG CIA and another by DIG CTD have been formed and are working on the case.

An official of the KU, who wished not be named, said that so far, they did not find any educational documents or record that could suggest that Shari Baloch was a varsity student. “We have so far checked the entire documents of the graduation, masters and MPhil of the Zoology, Education and Physics departments but did not find her a student while the rest of record is being checked,” an official of the KU explained.

While examining various CCTV footages obtained from the KU’s premises and its surroundings, the police investigators have impounded some suspicious vehicles, apparently used by the terrorists in transportation and recce purposes. “We have doubts that these vehicles were used in transportation and recce purposes,” District East SSP Abdur Rahim Shirazi explained. The officer said that with the CCTV footage, the police investigators with the help of human and technical intelligence were also trying to check the terrorists’ movements, activities and routes as the terrorists are likely visiting the varsity from the days for recce purpose.

Karachi University HEJ Forensic Laboratory has received 17 DNA samples of four persons. Police said that the DNA samples of the van driver’s family were also taken while the DNA sample of Chinese are not available, and attempts are being made to obtain DNA samples from items used by them. The bodies will be handed over to the Chinese Consulate and the Pakistani driver’s family after the DNA process will be completed. Driver Khalid’s family asked the authorities to hand over the body of their loved one so that they could bury him.

Security agencies have started compiling the data of local and foreign students staying in the hostel.

Security agencies have also obtained another CCTV footage, showing the presence of another suspected woman with the suicide bomber, shortly before the bombing occurred. She is yet to be taken into custody. The CCTV footage showed that the suspected woman wearing white ‘dupatta’ was already present there when Shari Baloch arrived in a rickshaw. After that, both met and talked to each other and the suspected woman also handed something to her and then Shari Baloch left for the bombing.

The pictures posted by the Shari Baloch on her social media account also showed some books written by the Indian authors about Balochistan. In some of her posts, she also talked about revenge and also posted her picture with the victory sign. Her husband also posted a family photo with Shari Baloch and their two children showing the victory sign and appreciated Shari Baloch for carrying out the suicide bombing.

Hailing from Turbat, Shari Baloch was the mother of two children. She reportedly came to Karachi a few weeks ago and was staying at different locations in Karachi, including Gulistan-e-Jauhar. It was also reported that last week, she also stayed at a private hotel on Sharae -Faisal where her husband was staying.

The rickshaw driver she hired to reach the university was reportedly taken into custody. Baloch Doctors Forum has also condemned the arrest of Dr Dildar from Karachi. One suspect was reportedly taken into custody from a hostel in the Punjab province, upon which, the students belonging to Balochistan also staged a protest at the hostel and demanded immediate release of the detainee. The investigators are also looking into some reports that the terrorists were using neighbouring country's mobile phone SIM cards.

Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack on the University of Karachi, which resulted in many deaths, says a press release. During the daily press briefing, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson, said, “I can tell you the secretary-general strongly condemns the attack in Karachi today.” The UN chief sent his condolences to the bereaved families and hoped for those who were injured a speedy recovery.

UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Pakistan, Julien Harneis, was likewise outraged by the attack and much grieved at the loss of life, according to a UN spokesperson.