A roadside bomb attack on police kills seven people, including five children, in southwestern Pakistan

QUETTA, Pakistan – On Friday, a heavy bomb attached to a motorcycle exploded near a vehicle carrying police officers in restive southwestern Pakistan, killing seven people, including five children who were nearby, officials said.

Local police chief Fateh Mohammad said the attack occurred in Mastung, a district in Balochistan province. He said a motorized rickshaw carrying schoolchildren was nearby when the bombing took place, killing five children, a police officer and a passerby.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion is likely to fall on separatist groups that have stepped up attacks on security forces and civilians in recent months.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti both condemned the bombing and vowed to continue the war against the insurgents until they were eliminated from the country.

Balochistan is the scene of a long-running insurgency, with a number of separatist groups carrying out attacks mainly on security forces. The groups, including the Baloch Liberation Army, are demanding independence from the central government.

The BLA has also attacked foreigners. Last month, the company claimed responsibility for a bomb attack targeting Chinese nationals outside an airport in the southern city of Karachi that killed two Chinese workers and injured eight people.

Thousands of Chinese workers are in Pakistan as part of Beijing's multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, which is building major infrastructure projects.

Beijing has repeatedly called for better security for its nationals in Pakistan.

China's ambassador to Pakistan, Jiang Zaidong, urged Pakistan at a seminar this week to take action against insurgents responsible for “unacceptable” attacks on Chinese working on projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a sprawling package , which includes road construction and energy plants and agriculture.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch expressed surprise at the ambassador's comments on Thursday, saying Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also attended the seminar, said: “Pakistan is committed to supporting Chinese nationals, projects and institutions to provide comprehensive security in Pakistan.” . Our commitment has been expressed at the highest levels of the Chinese government.”

She said Jiang's statement was “confusing given positive diplomatic traditions.”

A Pakistani hotel chain, Avari, said the government had ordered that transportation and airport transfers for Chinese guests must be arranged by the host or sponsor “in a bombproof/bulletproof vehicle” with security protocols.