Pakistan is preparing to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in the capital Islamabad, which was roiled by protests and clashes this weekend between police and supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan.
High-level Chinese representation and the first visit by an Indian foreign minister in a decade are expected at the summit next week, which authorities have vowed to secure.
Pakistan broadcaster Geo News reported at least 10 people were injured in Sunday’s blast in addition to the fatalities. Karachi police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The BLA seeks independence for the province of Balochistan, located in Pakistan’s southwest and bordering on Afghanistan and Iran. In August, it launched coordinated attacks in the province, in which more than 70 people were killed.
BLA specifically targets Chinese interests – in particular the strategic port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea, accusing Beijing of helping Islamabad exploit the province. It has previously killed Chinese citizens working in the region and attacked Beijing’s consulate in Karachi.
Security issues have affected China’s billions of planned investments, including under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which is part of President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road.
In March, a suicide bomber killed five Chinese engineers working on a hydropower project in northern Pakistan. Authorities arrested militants they said were associated with the Pakistani Taliban, though that group denied being behind the attack.
