Police stated on Friday that five Japanese nationals were unharmed when their car was attacked by a suicide bomber in Karachi’s Landhi district. Police also said that two terrorists engaged in the incident were slain.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) East Azfar Mahesar informed Dawn.com that the incident occurred near Murtaza Chowrangi in Landhi, and that the five foreign people were riding in a Hiace van.
“All five Japanese were safe. However, the private security guard who was accompanying them was hurt,” he claimed, adding that one terrorist was dead.
“The Japanese nationals were on the way to Export Processing Zone from their residence in Zamzama, Clifton,” the official added.
According to Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) DIG Asif Aijaz Shaikh, the Japanese nationals and two security guards were in a van when they were attacked by a suicide bomber on a motorbike.
“All five Japanese nationals are safe,” DIG Shaikh confirmed. He further claimed that another “suicide bomber” who was present for “backup” was fired down by a Sharafi Goth police unit monitoring the area.
“No one has claimed responsibility so far,” the DIG stated, adding that the vehicle transporting the Japanese nationals was bulletproof.
CTD in-charge Raja Umar Khattab told the journalists at the site that the Japanese nationals were traveling in a convoy of three vehicles.
“The suicide bomber and his accomplice were already in the neighborhood. “When they saw the cars, the suicide bomber attacked,” he explained. The official went on to say that after the suicide attack failed, the attacker’s accomplice “panicked” and opened fire.
He said that officials shot down the second terrorist. “From what I saw, the terrorist shot roughly 15 bullets. Apart from that, he had some grenades,” Khattab explained.
The CTD officer repeated that the foreign nationals were unharmed, and that prompt action by police and security personnel had prevented the attack.
The miscreants had trailed the Japanese group’s vehicle for some time before the incident, he claimed, and officials believe they were doing reconnaissance to determine the objective and location of the attack.
According to police spokesperson Abrar Hussain Baloch, the Japanese have been relocated to a secure location while under police custody.
“The police mobile unit, which was nearby, responded to the attackers quickly and the security guards of the foreign guests responded immediately,” he said.
According to a statement released on X, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly denounced the incident and wished for the recovery of those affected.
“Timely action by the police saved us from any major loss of life,” the officer stated.
“We will not rest until terrorism is entirely eliminated. We will prevent any criminal conduct that disrupts the law and order situation,” the premier stated.
President Asif Ali Zardari also praised the police’s prompt action against the terrorists. In a statement aired by Radio Pakistan, he stated that prompt police response saved significant deaths.
He indicated a solid commitment to collaboratively eliminating terrorism.
Former foreign minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari strongly denounced the incident and wished for the injured to recover quickly, according to a message posted on X by the party’s official account.
He expressed hope that the perpetrators of the act will face justice. “Foreign nationals are our guests, and respecting and protecting guests is our national slogan,” he went on to say.
The former foreign minister emphasized the importance of Pakistan-Japan relations, noting that both nations’ opponents were attempting to sever these ties.
Today’s tragedy occurred less than a month after five Chinese and one Pakistani were killed in a suicide bombing in Bisham, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to authorities, the bus was going from Islamabad to Kohistan when it was attacked on the Karakoram Highway.
Sindh government demands reports on the event.
Separately, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah asked Sindh Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon to submit a report after investigating the incident, including data on who the terrorists were, where they came from, any information on their facilitators, and the explosives used in the bombing.
He ordered that urgent provisions be made for the protection of the foreign nationals.
“Anti-national elements want to disrupt law and order, which will not be tolerated at any cost,” the CM added, hailing the police’s prompt response.
Sindh Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has vehemently denounced the incident. “The police’s timely action has foiled the terrorists’ ambitions,” Memon stated in a statement.
“The nefarious actions of the terrorists will not be allowed to succeed,” he went on to say.
Meanwhile, Sindh Interior Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar has recommended that security personnel hurt while accompanying the Japanese nationals receive emergency medical attention.
He directed the Karachi Additional IG to undertake a thorough inquiry of the event and submit a report. “No one will be allowed to sabotage the law and order situation,” he declared.
A separate notification stated that Lanjar has issued a high-security warning for Sindh till further notice.
The provincial interior minister advised that watertight security preparations be implemented for Friday prayers in mosques, Imambargahs, and other open areas.
District senior superintendents of police (SSPs) and sub-divisional police officers have been dispatched to the field, while station house officers have been instructed to be vigilant and attentive in security measures, he added.
Lanjhar also suggested focusing on occasional snap checking, picketing, and patrolling. He also commanded that security deployment be prioritized, and communication tactics be integrated and successful.
Maria Ghanchi