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

Balochistan is the site of a long-running insurgency in which a number of separatist groups have launched attacks, mostly on security forces. Groups including the Baluch Liberation Army are demanding independence from the central government.

BLA also attacked foreigners. Last month, it claimed responsibility for a bomb attack targeting Chinese citizens outside an airport in the southern city of Karachi, killing two Chinese workers and wounding eight others.

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

Beijing has frequently demanded better security for its citizens in Pakistan.

At a seminar this week, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong urged Pakistan to take action against insurgents responsible for “unacceptable” attacks on Chinese people working on projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a broad package that includes road construction, energy and called to pass. plants and agriculture.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch on Thursday expressed surprise at the ambassador’s remarks, saying Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who attended the seminar, said: “Pakistan is committed to providing full security to Chinese citizens, projects and institutions in Pakistan. . “Our commitment has been communicated to the highest levels of the Chinese government.”

He said Jiang’s statement was “confusing in terms of positive diplomatic traditions.”