India condemns attack on Chinese consulate in Karachi
November 23, 2018
India condemned an attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi on Friday, saying there was no justification for such violence.
Pakistani security forces successfully foiled an attack on the Chinese consulate in Karachi's Clifton Block-4. Two police officers were martyred in the attack.
“The perpetrators of this heinous attack should be brought to justice expeditiously,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
India and Pakistan regularly blame each other for violence in each other’s countries.
Pakistan has in the past accused India of supporting the separatist insurgents in Balochistan, which is on the Afghan and Iranian borders. India denies any involvement in the decades old insurgency there.
India has long accused Pakistan of supporting separatists fighting Indian security forces in occupied Kashmir.
Two policemen were martyred and a security guard injured as three gunmen tried to enter the consulate around 9:30am but were intercepted by security guards at a checkpoint, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Karachi Javed Alam Odho said. Retaliatory firing resulted in martyrdom of two police officials, he stated.
Three suspected suicide bombers were killed before they were able to enter the facility as forces successfully foiled the attack, Karachi Police Chief Dr Amir Shaikh said. "There were three attackers and all three have been killed... They could not even get in the compound. They tried to get into the visa section," the Karachi police chief said while speaking to the media outside the consulate.
“The men came to the consulate in a car which was loaded with explosives," he added.
Nine hand grenades, Kalashnikov bullets, magazines and explosives were recovered from the possession of the terrorists, police said. "Food supplies and medicines were also recovered from their possession," officials added.
Sources said that two civilians were also killed in the attack. "A man and his son who were visiting the embassy to apply for Chinese visas were killed in the attack," sources said.
All the staff inside the Chinese consulate remained safe, officials said.
