New insights have emerged in the investigation of the recent suicide attack targeting a Chinese convoy near Jinnah International Airport, Karachi.
Authorities have tracked the movements of the suspected terrorist, Shah Fahad, where videos and CCTV footage have been released, revealing details of his activities in the days leading up to the attack.
According to CCTV footage seen by Samaa TV, Shah Fahad entered Karachi on October 4 around 5pm, crossing Hub Toll Plaza with a female companion. Later that evening, he checked into a hotel in Saddar area at 10:33pm.
The following morning, he left the hotel at 10:57am and moved around key areas, including Empress Market, Rainbow Center, and DHA Phase 1, finally reaching the airport area by 5:15pm before returning to the hotel around 6:29pm.
On the day of the attack, October 6, Fahad was seen at the hotel counter before he left at 12:19pm to tour several locations, including the State Guest House and Bagh-e-Jinnah. At 4:20pm, he crossed Fayyaz Center on Shahra-e-Faisal and in the evening reached a hotel near Bahadurabad's Char Minar.
Also Read: Sindh Police arrest mastermind of Karachi airport suicide attack
Later, at 9:30pm, Shah Fahad and two associates headed towards the airport. Footage shows one of his accomplices entering the airport on foot, while another, dressed in a pant and shirt, remained at a high vantage point. As soon as the Chinese convoy left, this accomplice alerted Shah Fahad by phone. When the convoy approached, Shah Fahad detonated a suicide bomb.
The CCTV footage captures the blast.
A day ago, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar announced the arrest of the mastermind behind the suicide attack targeting the Chinese engineers near Karachi airport. In a press conference alongside Sindh Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon, the minister also confirmed the apprehension of a woman facilitator involved in orchestrating the attack.
Also Read: China demands Pakistan investigate attack, punish perpetrators
Lanjar provided details on the suicide bombing incident, which took place at the airport signal, resulting in the deaths of two Chinese nationals and a Pakistani citizen.
“The security forces swiftly initiated investigations, focusing on the vehicle and its origins,” Lanjar said. “With the help of CCTV footage, we identified the suicide bomber and two facilitators, uncovering details that led to the female accomplice’s arrest.”
The minister revealed that the explosives-laden vehicle, weighing an estimated 30 to 40 kilograms, was originally brought from Karachi and transported from Hub on Oct 4. Authorities traced the vehicle’s purchase to a Karachi-based showroom, where it was acquired for Rs7.1 million, paid via bank transfer.
