A suicide bombing targeting a convoy of Chinese engineers at the airport has occurred. According to Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Director General Major-General Asif Munir Khan, Shah Fahad was identified as the bomber through fingerprints on his handcuff key and bank statements linking him with a vehicle purchase in Karachi for Rs7 million cash. The attacker’s history includes multiple marriages to women connected with Baloch sub-nationalist groups since 2018, after which he became active as a BLA operative by engaging local youth and girls through social media platforms like Instagram in Karachi from January the following year until his arrest.
Shah Fahad’s network involved facilitators Bilal (a bank employee) who transferred cash for purchasing vehicles, Saeed Ali as another member of this group, along with Mohammed Sharif and Farhan whose involvement is unclear beyond vehicle purchase activities – all suspects are believed to be financially supporting the bomb-making process. The bomber acquired explosive materials from Afghanistan using a code name ‘Washna’, which may hint at his regional connections or covert operations within Pakistan, particularly Balochistan where these anti-social elements reside and operate with support for terrorism activities against China in Pakistan.
The attacker’s final preparations included recording himself before the bomb detonation using a mobile phone near Frere Hall close to Marriott Hotel; his accomplices were present at various stages of this setup, indicating potential inside knowledge or direct involvement by security personnel associated with these institutions. The bomber had connections within Sindh society and exploited local students’ vulnerabilities for recruitment into the BLA activities – a tactic previously used to infiltrate educational establishments across Pakistan from 2018 onwards, leading up to his arrest after being identified through social media engagement patterns.
In summary, Shah Fahad’s attack against Chinese national interests targeted not only individuals but also the progress of major infrastructure projects underway in Pakistan and directly linked with China’s economic partnership – specifically CPEC initiatives within Sindh province where he exploited societal divisions for recruitment.
Major General Munir Khan commended his team’s successful investigation, attributing their diligence to modern techniques alongside traditional fingerprint and eyewitness identification methods in bringing the perpetrator into custody as well as identifying other involved parties within Pakistan’s borders while hinting at broader regional connections.
A cash reward of R50 million was awarded for this significant success by Sindh government, with plans to recommend Quaid-i-Azam and police medal awards to the team members recognizing their outstanding efforts in ensuring national security through dismantling terror networks operating within Pakistan’s territory.
Regarding reports of a private guard attacking Chinese engineers at an airport garment factory, Major General Munir stated that it is sensitive information and did not provide additional comments on the matter during this brief report compilation in November 2024 by Dawn newspaper.