Pakistan police filed a case against separatist group Sindhudesh People’s Army (SPA) after it claimed responsibility for an attack on a couple of Chinese origin in Karachi.
Separatist groups in Pakistan have caused concerns for the administration and the recent case comes after another separatist group, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed that it shot down a helicopter in Quetta which was carrying Pakistani armed forces. Pakistan said the helicopter crashed during a ‘flying mission.’
The attack on the Chinese couple and their cashier – Dr Richard Hu, Phen Teyin and Ronald Raymond Chou – happened earlier this week when an attacker in the guise of a patient opened fire on them, Pakistani media outlets reported.
The suspect entered their dental clinic and waited for a few minutes after which he fired on the couple and the cashier, killing the latter and injuring the couple.
The police later confirmed that the Chinese couple were Pakistani nationals and they hold Canadian passports. The police said they are out of danger.
South-SSP Syed Asad Raza said that the case was registered at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on terrorism and murder charges on behalf of the state.
According to a report by news agency ANI, the attack was aimed at disturbing relations between Pakistan and China. The FIR said that the attacker was a Sindhi or Balochi speaker.
The attacker also fled the scene after orchestrating the attack with another accomplice.
However, there was no official confirmation that such a group was involved in the attack. Pakistani media outlets and news agency ANI said that the police came to know that the SPA was involved following information from intelligence agencies and social media.
The FIR also mentions that the attack was aimed at gaining media coverage for their separatist group.
It is noteworthy that the Pakistani administration in this case chose to name a separatist group in the FIR but when the BLA claimed that it shot down the chopper, it was dismissed by the authorities as well as by the country’s experts.
The separatist movements in Pakistan gained momentum after the administration failed to punish the human rights abuses committed by the Pakistan army on its Baloch, Sindhi and other minorities. The attacks have increased recently and a major escalation was noticed when a suicide bomber affiliated to the Balochistan Liberation Army killed three Chinese academics.
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