5 Japanese workers narrowly escape suicide bombing
KARACHI (AP) Ð A suicide bomber detonated yesterday his explosive-laden vest near a van carrying Japanese autoworkers who narrowly escaped the attack that wounded three bystanders in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, police said.
The van had been heading to an industrial area where the five Japanese worked at Pakistan Suzuki Motors, local police chief Arshad Awan said, adding that the police escorting the Japanese returned fire after coming under attack, killing an accomplice of the suicide bomber whose remains were found at the scene of the attack.
ÒAll the Japanese who were the target of the attack are safe,Ó he said.
PakistanÕs President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the attack on the Japanese nationals. In separate statements, they praised police for quickly responding and foiling the attack. They also vowed to eliminate terrorism and prayed for the speedy recovery of those wounded in the attack.
Images on local news channels showed a damaged van, as police officers arrived at the scene of the attack. Awan said the three passersby who were wounded in the attack were in stable condition at a hospital.
Police were escorting the van after receiving reports about possible attacks on foreigners who are working in Pakistan on various Chinese-funded and other projects, said Tariq Mastoi, a senior police officer. He said a timely and quick response from the guards and police foiled the attack and both attackers were killed.
No one immediately claimed responsibility, but suspicion is likely to fall on a small separatist group or the Pakistani Taliban who have stepped up attacks on security forces in recent years.