Gwadar suicide attack: Two children killed, three injured

QUETTA: A convoy of vehicles passing through the Gwadar Expressway carrying Chinese nationals was targeted by a suicide bomber but the bid failed, killing two children and injuring three others, including a Chinese national, on Friday.

According to a statement issued by the interior ministry, a convoy comprising four vehicles carrying Chinese nationals with Pakistan Army and police contingent" was targeted on the East Bay Expressway in Gwadar.

The incident took place along the coastal road near a fishermen's colony, the statement added.

A young boy hurriedly came out of the colony to target the Chinese vehicles as soon as the convoy reached there, adding, "Soldiers of Pakistan Army in plainclothes deployed as hang around security rushed to intercept the boy who, immediately, exploded himself about 15-20 metres away from the convoy," the statement reads.

According to the ministry, the blast left two children dead and three others, including two children and a Chinese national, injured. The Chinese national was said to be stable and evacuated to a hospital in Gwadar.

The two injured children stated to be in critical condition have been shifted to a hospital. The statement went on to note that both Pakistan and China "recognise the threats posed to their cooperation and collaboration towards growth and development of their communities under the evolving regional environment".

"Cognizant of hostile designs, the Government of Pakistan is already undertaking a comprehensive review of security of Chinese brothers and is committed to ensuring their safe stay in Pakistan in this journey of progress,” the statement said, adding, "We reaffirm our Chinese brothers our wholehearted endeavours to deal with these threats comprehensively."

China is involved in the development of the Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea as part of a $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is itself part of China's Belt and Road infrastructure project. The Chinese national was said to be stable and evacuated to a hospital in Gwadar. The two injured children, however, are said to be in critical condition and have also been hospitalised.

The statement went on to note that both Pakistan and China "recognise the threats posed to their cooperation and collaboration towards growth and development of their communities under the evolving regional environment".

"Cognizant of hostile designs, the government of Pakistan is already undertaking a comprehensive review of security of Chinese brothers and is committed to ensuring their safe stay in Pakistan in this journey of progress, the statement said. "We reaffirm our Chinese brothers our wholehearted endeavours to deal with these threats comprehensively," it added.

The interior ministry went on to state that while the government is "saddened by injury to our Chinese brother and loss of innocent Pakistani children", both countries "stand together firmly in defeating the inimical acts aiming to undermine our cooperation and friendship".

The blast comes after a bus attack in KP in which 13 people, including nine Chinese workers and three Pakistanis were killed earlier in the month. China is involved in the development of the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea as part of a $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.