Karachi Airport explosion linked to foreign intelligence agency: preliminary report
Karachi (PTI): A preliminary report over the recent explosion near Pakistan's busiest airport here has indicated that the attack was executed with the assistance of a foreign intelligence agency, a media report said on Saturday.
The report, submitted by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) to the anti-terrorism court, stated that the suicide bombing targeted Chinese engineers as part of a conspiracy to damage Pakistan-China relations, The Express Tribune reported.
On Sunday, two Chinese nationals were killed and 17 people injured in the suicide attack by a Baloch insurgent group that targeted a convoy of Chinese workers.
The explosion near the Jinnah International Airport on Sunday night also killed the suspected suicide bomber.
The preliminary report identified the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as being involved in the attack and indicated that the attack was executed with the assistance of a foreign intelligence agency, the Tribune said.
It suggested that an unidentified terrorist parked their vehicle close to a convoy of Chinese nationals before detonating the explosive, the report said.
Upon hearing the blast, police arrived at the scene and found injured individuals, including personnel from police and Rangers.
The Chinese nationals were working at the Port Qasim Electric Power Company on the outskirts of the city and were returning home when their convoy was attacked.
A case has been registered at the Airport police station under the supervision of the station house officer.
The CTD’s report includes charges of murder, attempted murder, assault, use of explosive materials, and terrorism, among other counts.
Earlier this week, an initial investigation report confirmed the tragic event involved 70 to 80 kg of explosives.
On Friday, China said it has dispatched an inter-agency working group to Pakistan following the deadly suicide bomb attack in Karachi.
Thousands of Chinese personnel are working in Pakistan on several projects under the aegis of the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, is home to a long-running violent insurgency. Baloch insurgent groups have previously carried out several attacks targeting CPEC projects.
The BLA accuses China and Islamabad of exploitation of the resource-rich province, a charge rejected by the authorities. It has fought a long-running insurgency for a separate homeland.
The group in the last two years carried out similar suicide bomb attacks in Karachi targeting foreign nationals.
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BJP dreaming to win polls with money power: West Bengal BJP MLA after bypoll loss
Kolkata, Nov 23: As the ruling Trinamool Congress swept the by-elections in six assembly seats in West Bengal, Kurseong's party MLA Bishnu Prasad Sharma attacked the state leadership, saying the party dreams of winning polls with money power and that it sidelines legislators and gives "unnecessary importance and responsibilities" to MPs.
The TMC retained five of the six seats it had previously won during the 2021 polls, while wresting the key Madarihat seat from the saffron camp in north Bengal’s Alipurduar district.
In a Facebook post, Sharma alleged, "The BJP runs a membership drive in West Bengal over the phone from a Kolkata office, while party leaders turn a blind eye to factionalism within the party. The party sidelines MLAs and gives unnecessary importance and responsibilities to MPs. It dreams of winning elections relying on money power. Despite having no shortage of political issues in the state, it centers its politics solely around religion."
"The BJP accuses opponents of corruption while carrying Adani and Ambani on its shoulders. It tries to undermine the rights of the indigenous population by luring Bangladeshi Hindus with promises of CAA. It halts MGNREGA funds and indulges in such tactics, hoping to win elections in the state," he alleged.
On the other hand, the BJP MLA lauded TMC saying, that the ruling party in the state, armed with 26 different "pro-poor schemes" such as Kanyashree Prakalpa, Gitanjali Housing Scheme, Krishak Bandhu Scheme, Nijo Griha Nijo Bhumi, Rupashree Prakalpa, Shishu Sathi Scheme, and Student Credit Card, quietly works at the grassroots level.
"Now, you decide who will win the elections. I have never seen a culture of self-criticism within the BJP; otherwise, this outcome wouldn't have occurred," he added.
Since the 2021 assembly elections, the TMC has won every by-election, except the Sagardighi bypoll in March 2023, which was won by a Congress candidate who later switched to the TMC.
With this victory, TMC's tally in the 294-member state assembly rose to 216, further consolidating its position. The BJP's tally, on the other hand, dropped to 69, from 77 in 2021.
