University of Karachi bombing

The Balochistan Liberation Army, a group internationally designated as a terrorist organization,[3] claimed responsibility for the bombing, which it said was done to discourage Chinese development programs in the region.[8]

The bomber was identified as Shari Baloch, a 30-year-old female and secondary school science teacher from Kech District in Balochistan.[9][6][10][11] She held bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the Allama Iqbal Open University, and had also obtained a master's degree in zoology from the University of Balochistan.[10][11] She had reportedly enrolled in another postgraduate degree at the University of Karachi months before the attack, but was not reported to be a student there at the time.[8][11][12] Shari had a daughter and son, both reportedly aged five, with her husband Habitan Bashir Baloch, who is also from Kech and a dentist.[8][13][10][12][14] In 2019, Shari Baloch landed a job in the Balochistan Education Department and was employed at a government secondary school in Kalatak, near Turbat, where she taught science to female students.[11] However, she had been absent from the school since six months before the attack and had been served a show-cause notice, to which she had not responded.[10] Her husband, Habitan, was also a lecturer at the Makran Medical College, and was undertaking a postgraduate degree in public health from the Jinnah Sindh Medical University.[10][11] Her husband was reported to be involved in a training programme at Karachi's Jinnah Hospital, and had been staying in a hotel near the hospital at the time.[11] The couple had rented an apartment in Gulistan-e-Johar, where Shari had been living for the past three years.[12][14]

Shari Baloch's family has been described as "well-established, educated with no previous affiliation with any Baloch insurgent group."[10] However, Shari herself had remained a member of the Baloch Students Organisation (Azad) group during her student life.[10] Her motivations for the attack could not be ascertained, as no one in her immediate family had reportedly been a victim of human rights abuses.[10] Hours before the attack, Baloch posted a farewell message on her Twitter account.[10] Soon after the bombing occurred, her husband posted a Tweet in which he eulogised and praised Shari, describing her action as a "selfless act".[13] Her husband's whereabouts were not known immediately after the attack, with raids being carried out by security forces to apprehend him and other suspected facilitators.[12] On 27 April, Habitan Bashir Baloch, husband of Karachi University suicide bomber Shari Baloch, was arrested by security personnel, a day after the explosion, news agency ANI reported citing Pakistan's ARY News. Habitan is being interrogated by authorities. In a briefing chaired by Pakistan's interior minister, Rana Sanaullah, China's ambassador to Pakistan was apprised about the latest developments in the case.[15]

Authorities in Pakistan said they have arrested a key orchestrator of the Karachi University bombing in July,[16] the attack was the result of the combined efforts of two insurgent groups, the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).[2]

The attack was strongly condemned by Pakistan,[17] China,[18] Saudi Arabia,[19] United Arab Emirates,[20] Oman,[21] India,[22] Kuwait,[23] the United States,[24][25] European Union,[26] United Nations[27] and United Nation Security Council.[28]