A Saudi diplomat was shot dead by gunmen on motorcycles in Karachi on Monday, the police said. This comes days after unidentified attackers threw two hand grenades at the Saudi consulate in Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial capital.
A senior police official said four gunmen on two motorcycles fired at a Saudi consulate car (CC 5264) at the intersection of Khayaban-e-Shaheen and Khayaban-e-Shahbaz in Karachi’s Defence Society area, killing a junior Saudi diplomat identified as Hassan Al-Qahqani. Anoth-er official said the diplomat was driving himself and was “probably going to the consulate from his house”.
“We condemn this attack. No one who carries out this kind of attack can be a Muslim”, said Saudi ambassador to Pakistan Abdul Aziz al-Ghadeer. A Pakistan Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility and warned of more attacks “until America stops chasing Al Qaeda and stops its drone strikes”. President Asif Ali Zardari ordered the Sindh government to hold an immediate inquiry and arrest the culprits. Interior minister Rehman Malik directed that security around the Saudi mission be enhanced and Saudis living in Pakistan be given better protection.