Massive blast outside Karachi Airport in Pakistan kills 2, injures at least 8

Karachi, Pakistan — 

A monolithic blast extracurricular Karachi Airport successful Pakistan connected Sunday killed 2 radical and injured astatine slightest eight, officials said.

Police and the provincial authorities said a tanker exploded extracurricular the airport, which is Pakistan's biggest.

But the provincial location minister, Zia Ul Hassan, told section TV presumption Geo that it was an onslaught targeting foreigners.

A Home Ministry authoritative told The Associated Press that it was an onslaught connected Chinese nationals, 1 of whom was injured. He spoke connected information of anonymity due to the fact that helium was not authorized to speech to the media.

Thousands of Chinese workers are successful Pakistan, astir of them progressive successful Beijing's multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative that connects southbound and cardinal Asia with the Chinese capital.

Videos showed flames engulfing cars and a heavy file of fume rising from the scene. There was a dense subject deployment astatine the site, which was cordoned off.

Deputy Inspector General East Azfar Mahesar told media that it seemed similar it was an lipid tanker explosion.

"We are determining the quality and reasons for the blast. It takes time." Police officers were among the injured, helium added.

The location curate and inspector wide besides visited the blast site, but they did not speech to the press.

Rahat Hussain, who works successful the civilian aviation department, said the blast was truthful large that it shook the airport's buildings.