Pakistan arrests militant for deadly Karachi attack on Chinese teachers

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Pakistan arrests militant for deadly Karachi attack on Chinese teachers

Rangers stand guard next to the blast site a day after a suicide attack on a van near the Confucius institute, which is the cultural program that China operates at universities around the world at the Karachi University in Karachi on April 27, 2022. RIZWAN TABASSUM AFP KARACHI, Pakistan - Tuesday said it had arrested a militant who provided technical support for a deadly suicide bomb attack on Chinese teachers at Karachi University in April.

A suspected female suicide bomber killed three Chinese teachers, drawing strong condemnation from Beijing, in the first major attack this year against nationals of long-time ally China working in Pakistan.

ALSO READ: Pakistan to increase ties with China after Karachi attack.

In total, four people died, including the minibus driver and three Chinese staff from the Confucius InstituteConfucius Institute, a cultural and educational program that China operates at the university.

The Balochistan Liberation Front and the Balochistan Liberation ArmyBalochistan Liberation Army, Sindh province information minister Sharjeel Memon told the news conference that the attack was the result of the combined efforts of two separatist groups.

The accused man, Dad Bakash, was arrested on Monday from Karachi s district of West, and confessed to being commander of a sleeper cell of the BLF.

He confessed to carrying out surveillance of Chinese nationals at Karachi University and important installations on the task given by the Balochistan Liberation ArmyBalochistan Liberation Army and meeting and providing assistance to the female suicide bomber and her husband. As part of President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road initiative, the mineral-rich Balochistan has a deep-water port in Gwadar city, which Beijing is developing under the China Pakistan Economic-Corridor project, part of the Belt and Road initiative.

The accused told investigators that the militant network is spread across neighboring countries and they are also in contact with the separatist groups in these countries.

Baloch separatist guerrillas say they are fighting for complete independence for Balochistan as well as for a greater share in the region's mines and minerals. The groups usually attack the security forces, infrastructure and gas projects.