Five Japanese nationals in Pakistan narrowly escaped unharmed Friday from a suicide bomb attack on their vehicle. Police managed to shoot a gunman accompanying the bomber, according to a police spokesperson. However, three individuals, including two bystanders, were injured in the incident.
Pakistan has witnessed some of its bloodiest attacks in recent years, with terrorists aiming to overthrow the government. Some separatist groups have specifically targeted foreigners, including Chinese nationals.
No militant group immediately claimed responsibility for the rare attack on Japanese nationals, however, Pakistani authorities identified them as engineers working for the management of an export processing zone in the port city.
The Japanese have been moved to a safe place in police custody, the spokesperson, Abrar Hussain Baloch, said, although the bystanders and a guard with the visitors suffered injuries.
"The police mobile unit, which was nearby, responded to the attackers quickly and the security guards of the foreign guests responded immediately," Baloch added.
In Tokyo, Japan's chief Cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, told a news conference that one Japanese national was confirmed to have been injured and the government was checking details, having flagged the risk to other citizens in Pakistan.
One of the two motorcycle-borne attackers set off explosives tied to his body as soon as the vehicle slowed, Pakistani counterterrorism official Raja Umar Khatab told reporters, but failed to strike his target.
That prompted his accomplice to start shooting at the vehicle.
"I think he fired some 15 or 16 shots," Khatab said, adding that private security guards with the foreigners and a nearby police patrol returned fire and killed the second attacker.
The men had followed the Japanese group's vehicle for some time before the attack, he said, with authorities suspecting they carried out reconnaissance to identify the target and location of the attack.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the attack, praising the timely police action for saving lives.