08 October,2024 01:41 PM IST | Islamabad | mid-day online correspondent
Security officials examine at the site of an explosion which occured near Karachi airport/ AFP
The vehicle used in the deadly explosion at Karachi airport, which claimed the lives of Chinese nationals, was carrying 80kg of explosives. The vehicle was purchased from a Karachi resident before being used in the Karachi airport explosion, reported ANI.
According to the news agency report, the double-cabin vehicle, registered under the name of Shah Fahad, a Karachi resident, was deliberately driven into a car carrying foreign nationals, resulting in significant destruction and damaging nearby vehicles. Despite being bomb-proof, the targeted vehicle was severely affected due to the force of the explosion.
The explosion site, which happened on October 6, has been inspected again by representatives of Sindh police and other law enforcement organisations. As part of the ongoing inquiry, the area has been sealed off and CCTV footage is being reviewed.
The Chinese Embassy in Pakistan denounced the Karachi airport explosion, which killed at least three individuals, including Chinese nationals. According to Geo News, the explosion happened on Sunday night close to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, injuring 17 more people.
The Karachi police have identified the suicide bomber responsible for the recent explosion near Jinnah International Airport, which killed three foreign nationals and injured 17 others, as Shah Fahad, according to another report by ANI.
Authorities said that on September 5, 2023, Fahad registered the car that was used in the Karachi airport explosion in his name. According to investigations, he and two accomplices arrived in Karachi on December 3, 2023, and at 7:49 pm, they booked into a hotel in the Preedy neighbourhood. On October 4, 2024, Fahad made his way back to Karachi, checking in using a biometric at a different hotel at 10:47 am. On the day of the explosion, he left this hotel at about noon, the news agency report stated.
Reportedly, the investigation has made significant progress, with police uncovering key leads from Fahad's repeated stays at two local hotels. A 3-kilometre security perimeter has been established around the blast site, and several individuals have been detained for questioning about possible links to the terrorists.
Authorities are also examining suspicious calls and are investigating how sensitive information regarding the movements of Chinese engineers was leaked to the attackers. Since the explosion, raids have been carried out across Karachi and Balochistan, the report added.
ANI report stated that their sources indicate that the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and other law enforcement agencies gathered evidence throughout the night and have launched further actions to track down those involved in the attack.
