More than two years on, KU suicide attack perpetrators still at large

KARACHI:

More than two years after the deadly suicide attack targeting Chinese nationals at the gate of Karachi University, police have failed to make any arrests even though the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) had claimed responsibility for the attack.

An anti-terrorism court has already issued non-bailable arrest warrants for five fugitive BLA terrorists in connection with the April 2022 attack, which killed four people, including three Chinese nationals. An accused, Daad Baksh, was presented before a court, but the defense counsel requested adjournment while arguing against a plea from the public prosecutor to present evidence from a USB device in open court.

Daad Baksh is accused of facilitating the attack, was taken into custody by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) which had registered the case.

While expressing dissatisfaction over the failure to execute the arrest warrants for the five BLA fugitives, the court reissued non-bailable warrants for their arrest. The fugitives include BLA Commander Bashir, Captain Rehman Gul, Khalil Ahmed Musa, alias Waja, Mir Safir Ahmed, and Bashir Zeib.

The court directed the investigating officer to submit a report along with witness statements regarding the fugitives. The hearing was adjourned until May 27.

The victims of the suicide attack were identified as Huang Guiping, Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Karachi, Ding Moping, Chen Sai, and Khalid, the driver.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2024