A massive blast outside Karachi Airport in Pakistan injures at least 8

Officials say a massive explosion outside Karachi Airport has injured at least eight people and destroyed several vehicles

KARACHI, Pakistan -- A massive blast outside Karachi Airport in Pakistan on Sunday injured at least eight people and destroyed several vehicles, officials said.

Police and the provincial government said a tanker exploded outside the airport, which is Pakistan’s biggest.

But the provincial home minister, Zia Ul Hassan, told local TV station Geo that it was an attack targeting foreigners.

A Home Ministry official told the Associated Press that it was an attack on Chinese nationals, one of whom was injured. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Thousands of Chinese workers are in Pakistan, most of them involved in Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative that connects south and central Asia with the Chinese capital.

Videos showed flames engulfing cars and a thick column of smoke rising from the scene. There was a heavy military deployment at the site, which was cordoned off.

Police surgeon Dr. Sumayya Tariq said one of the casualties was in critical condition and that four of them were security guards.

Rahat Hussain, who works in the civil aviation department, said the blast was so big that it shook the airport’s buildings.