ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia condemned on Thursday a suicide blast that earlier this week killed four people at a campus of the Karachi University.
Three Chinese citizens and a Pakistani driver were killed when a female suicide bomber detonated herself near a Chinese language learning center at the university.
The attack was claimed by the separatist Baloch Liberation Army. Security forces have said the attacked had specifically targeted the Chinese.
Saudi authorities extended their condolences to victim families and expressed solidarity with the government and people Pakistan.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses Saudi Arabia's strong condemnation of the terrorist bombings near a Chinese institute at Karachi University in southern Pakistan, which resulted in several deaths,” the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.
“The Ministry reaffirms the Kingdom’s solidarity with the brotherly Islamic Republic of Pakistan and its standing with it in the face of violence, extremism and terrorism.”
Tuesday’s blast was the first major attack on Chinese nationals in Pakistan since last year when a suicide bomber blew up a passenger bus, killing 13 people, including nine Chinese workers employed at the Dasu Hydropower Project in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif ordered on Wednesday stepping up the security of Chinese nationals working in the country.
The attack is the first big challenge for Sharif, who took office earlier this month.
Pakistan’s long-time ally, China has been developing the South Asian nation’s major infrastructure projects.
Beijing vowed support for Pakistan’s security efforts.
“I would like to stress that terrorism is the common enemy of mankind. The blood of the Chinese citizens shall not be shed in vain. China firmly supports Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts," China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday.
"We will work with Pakistan to hunt down the perpetrators and make sure they are brought to justice and pay a heavy price.”