Five Japanese nationals in Pakistan escaped unhurt on Friday from a suicide bomb attack on their vehicle as police shot down a gunman accompanying the bomber, a police spokesperson said, but two bystanders were among the three injured.
Islamist militants seeking to overthrow the government and set up their own strict brand of Islamic rule have launched some of Pakistan’s bloodiest attacks during the last few years, with some separatist groups targeting foreigners, including Chinese.
Pakistan ramped up security for Chinese engineers working on Beijing-linked projects in March after several workers were killed in a suicide attack.
That attack came days after security forces killed at least seven militants as they attempted to storm the offices of Gwadar Port in southwest Pakistan, considered a cornerstone of Chinese investment.
China condemns Pakistan bombing that killed belt and road project workers
China condemns Pakistan bombing that killed belt and road project workers
In recent years, Beijing has poured billions of dollars into projects in Pakistan. But these have sparked resentment in Balochistan province – where Gwadar is located – and Chinese citizens have frequently come under attack.
No militant group immediately claimed responsibility for the rare attack on Japanese nationals, however, with Pakistani authorities identifying them as engineers working for the management of an export processing zone in the port city.
The Japanese have been moved to a safe place in police custody, the spokesperson, Abrar Hussain Baloch, said, although the bystanders and a guard with the visitors suffered injuries.
“The police mobile unit, which was nearby, responded to the attackers quickly and the security guards of the foreign guests responded immediately,” Baloch added.
In Tokyo, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, said that one Japanese national was confirmed to have been injured, and the government was checking details, having flagged the risk to other citizens in Pakistan.
Japan has “issued an alert to Japanese nationals living in Pakistan in response to the incident,” he added.
One of the two motorcycle-borne attackers set off explosives tied to his body as soon as the vehicle slowed, Pakistani counterterrorism official Raja Umar Khatab told reporters, but failed to strike his targe
01:54
Five Chinese engineers killed in suicide bomb attack in Pakistan
Five Chinese engineers killed in suicide bomb attack in Pakistan
That prompted his accomplice to start shooting at the vehicle.
“I think he fired some 15 or 16 shots,” Khatab said, adding that private security guards with the foreigners and a nearby police patrol returned fire and killed the second attacker.
The men had followed the Japanese group’s vehicle for some time before the attack, he said, with authorities suspecting they carried out reconnaissance to identify the target and location of the attack.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, praising the timely police action for saving lives.