Gunmen kill four in raid on Chinese consulate

Armed separatists have stormed the Chinese Consulate in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi, triggering an intense hour-long shootout during which two Pakistani civilians, two police officers and all three assailants were killed.

The killed Pakistani civilians were a father and son who had come to the consulate to pick up their visas to China. The brazen assault, claimed by a militant group from the southwestern province of Baluchistan, reflected the separatists’ attempt to strike at the heart of Pakistan’s close ties with major ally China, which has invested heavily into road and transportation projects in the country.

All the Chinese diplomats and staff at the consulate were safe and were not harmed during the attack. They were evacuated from the area shortly after and taken to a safe place.

Following the attack, China asked Pakistan to strengthen security at the mission. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan rdered an investigation.