2 Chinese women among 4 killed in blast inside premises of University of Karachi

Karachi, Apr 26 (PTI) Two Chinese women were among four people killed and several others injured on Tuesday when a blast took place in a van inside the premises of the University of Karachi in Pakistan's financial capital, officials said.

According to reports, the blast took place in the van near Confucius Institute in the university; a non-profit institute teaching Chinese language to local pupils.

Initial information from a reliable police source said that the two women killed in the blast were Chinese nationals and may have been the target of the blast.

The two others killed were the driver and security guard in the van while four other people who were close to the van when the blast took place were injured. Three of them are in serious condition, the source said.

There were conflicting reports about the blast but senior police official Muqqadas Haider said that initial investigations were being held and it could have been a remote-controlled explosive device planted inside or near the van.

Urdu language Jang newspaper reported that the van was bringing the two foreign nationals who used to teach Chinese at the IBA institute inside the Karachi University from their guesthouse when the blast took place.

There were two Rangers personnel behind the van on motorcycles.

Videos of the van in which the blast took place were also posted on social media with flames of fire completely destroying the vehicle as police and paramilitary rangers reached the scene immediately and cordoned off the areas.

This is not the first time Chinese nationals have been the target of terror attacks in Karachi, which is Pakistan's biggest city and economic hub.