ATC indicts five in 2018 Chinese Consulate attack case

Karachi Anti-Terrorism Court ATC Monday indicted five accused of a proscribed outfit in a case related 2018 attack on the Chinese Consulate.

According to the details, the ATC  has issued notices to the witnesses and the investigating officer and instructed them to be present at the next hearing.

The accused against whom charges were framed include Ahmed Hasnain, Nadir Khan, Ali Ahmed, Abdul Latif and Aslam.

On November 23, 2018, two police officers and two civilians, a father and son, were killed in firing outside the Chinese Consulate in Karachi’s Clifton. Three attackers were killed in the crossfire.

Police said the Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) provided financial assistance for the attack. Two of the arrested accused, including Latif, had confessed their involvement in the attack.

Two policemen and two people waiting in a queue outside the consulate were killed in the attack, along with the three gunmen.

The then city police chief Amir Sheikh, said the three attackers came in a car filled with explosives but failed to get inside the heavily fortified compound.  “They tried to get inside, but the Rangers and police killed one of the terrorists,” Shaikh said. A gun battle broke out with the two other attackers trying to enter the visa section, but they were also killed, he said.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan called it “part of the conspiracy” against Pakistani and Chinese economic and strategic cooperation and ordered an inquiry, his office said.

It is worth mentioning here that, China has funded the development of a deep-water port at Gwadar in south Baluchistan, and is also investing in other projects on a China Pakistan Economic Corridor.