Gunmen kill Saudi diplomat in Karachi - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
A Saudi Arabian diplomat has been killed in a drive-by shooting in the Pakistani city of Karachi.
Police say four gunmen on two motorcycles opened fire at a car belonging to the Saudi Arabian consulate from two sides.
"We condemn this attack. No-one who carries out this kind of attack can be a Muslim," said Saudi ambassador Abdul Aziz al-Ghadeer.
He did not give details on the rank of the diplomat who was killed.
"The Saudi national killed was himself driving the car and was probably going to the consulate from his house," a police spokesman said.
An official from the media section of the Saudi embassy identified the man as a Saudi diplomat, while another official from the embassy earlier identified him as a security official working for the consulate in Karachi.
Pakistani police in Karachi said the man had been driving in a vehicle with diplomatic plates when two motorcycle riders opened fire at a crossroads in an upmarket neighbourhood.
"The consulate employee died of multiple bullet wounds on the spot," said Fayaaz Leghari, the police chief of southern province Sindh, of which Karachi is the capital.
"The attackers fled on the motorbike."
Pakistani provincial home ministry official Sharfuddin Memon identified the dead man as a junior officer at the consulate.
"We are investigating if it was linked to the Abbottabad operation or was an isolated incident," he said in reference to Osama bin Laden's death on May 2.
The diplomat's death comes after drive-by assailants threw two grenades at the Saudi consulate in Karachi last Wednesday.
Al Qaeda is violently opposed to the Saudi government and has vowed revenge for the death of bin Laden, who was born in Saudi Arabia.
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Two possible motives here:
(1) Iran has started its proxy war and is targeting Saudi interests. Less likely because they prefer to use money to buy out local media and pressure groups to put their viewpoint across like they do in India as well
(2) OBL assasination's aftermath has resulted in AQ and its affiliated groups to seek revenge against Saudi interests. This is more likely as the Saudis have basically been waging an all out war against AQ since 2003. Also there are reports that they didn't want OBL's body or his wives to be brought into Saudi Arabia.
What could be the implications for India?
Reiterates the fact to Saudi Arabia that India is better positioned to be a security guarantor in the GCC. So instead of looking at Pakistan and by extension China, it should focus on better ties with India to "manage" Pakistan. There have been many indicators in this regard, but the tricky part is how does India manage to promote democracy as it is doing in Egypt and still have good relations with a "kingdom".
A Saudi Arabian diplomat has been killed in a drive-by shooting in the Pakistani city of Karachi.
Police say four gunmen on two motorcycles opened fire at a car belonging to the Saudi Arabian consulate from two sides.
"We condemn this attack. No-one who carries out this kind of attack can be a Muslim," said Saudi ambassador Abdul Aziz al-Ghadeer.
He did not give details on the rank of the diplomat who was killed.
"The Saudi national killed was himself driving the car and was probably going to the consulate from his house," a police spokesman said.
An official from the media section of the Saudi embassy identified the man as a Saudi diplomat, while another official from the embassy earlier identified him as a security official working for the consulate in Karachi.
Pakistani police in Karachi said the man had been driving in a vehicle with diplomatic plates when two motorcycle riders opened fire at a crossroads in an upmarket neighbourhood.
"The consulate employee died of multiple bullet wounds on the spot," said Fayaaz Leghari, the police chief of southern province Sindh, of which Karachi is the capital.
"The attackers fled on the motorbike."
Pakistani provincial home ministry official Sharfuddin Memon identified the dead man as a junior officer at the consulate.
"We are investigating if it was linked to the Abbottabad operation or was an isolated incident," he said in reference to Osama bin Laden's death on May 2.
The diplomat's death comes after drive-by assailants threw two grenades at the Saudi consulate in Karachi last Wednesday.
Al Qaeda is violently opposed to the Saudi government and has vowed revenge for the death of bin Laden, who was born in Saudi Arabia.
--------------------------------
Two possible motives here:
(1) Iran has started its proxy war and is targeting Saudi interests. Less likely because they prefer to use money to buy out local media and pressure groups to put their viewpoint across like they do in India as well
(2) OBL assasination's aftermath has resulted in AQ and its affiliated groups to seek revenge against Saudi interests. This is more likely as the Saudis have basically been waging an all out war against AQ since 2003. Also there are reports that they didn't want OBL's body or his wives to be brought into Saudi Arabia.
What could be the implications for India?
Reiterates the fact to Saudi Arabia that India is better positioned to be a security guarantor in the GCC. So instead of looking at Pakistan and by extension China, it should focus on better ties with India to "manage" Pakistan. There have been many indicators in this regard, but the tricky part is how does India manage to promote democracy as it is doing in Egypt and still have good relations with a "kingdom".