Chinese consulate attack: Four killed in thwarted raid in Karachi

Three attackers were also killed in the assault on the consulate in the city's high-security red zone, according to a Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman.

The Baloch Liberation Army, a separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attack in a tweet including a photo of three unidentified men and the message: "Karachi: Fidayeen of BLA attacked the Chinese embassy in Karachi."

"Fidayeen" is an Arabic term that loosely translates as "one who sacrifices himself."

In a statement released after the attack, the group said its objectives were "clear -- we will not tolerate any Chinese military expansionist endeavors on Baloch soil."

CNN does not have independent confirmation of the group's involvement.

Security was immediately ramped up at consulates all over Karachi, Sindh Governor Imran Ismael told CNN.

Two of the four victims were uniformed police officers, according to Seemi Jamali, the Head of Emergency at Jinnah Hospital. No Chinese nationals were among the dead, the hospital said.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack, ordering a "complete inquiry."

In a statement, Khan called it "part of conspiracy against Pakistan and China's economic and strategic cooperation.

"However, such incidents will never be able to undermine the Pakistan-China relationship that is mightier than Himalaya and deeper than Arabian sea."

'Brazen attack'

Ahsan Jamil, an equity portfolio manager at an investment firm whose office faces the Chinese consulate told CNN that the shots started around 9:15 local time (11.15 p.m. ET Thursday night) and lasted around 30 to 45 minutes.

He said the area is surrounded by schools, and that parents were being turned away by school staff because of the gunfire and explosions, but otherwise there were "no other signs of panic." He said he saw police cars driving towards the area.

When journalist Amir Latif, from Turkey's Anadolu News Agency, spoke to CNN he could still hear gunshots.

"(The consulate is in) a very heavily guarded area, the firing is still continuing and we can hear small blasts, which suggests the attackers are still engaged with security forces," Latif said.

"The firing is still continuing and the police have not made any official statement but eyewitnesses said there are three to four attackers, heavily armed attackers who tried to storm the Chinese consulate and still we can hear gunshots," Latif said.

It's unclear whether the terrorists were inside the compound or near the consulate.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi later confirmed that the operation to secure the Chinese compound was over.

"Our Chinese friends and officials -- around 21 people -- are all safe," he told a media briefing.

"The area is clear. Those who want to prevent peace in this country were brilliantly stalled by the young security officers of this country.

"Pakistan and China's friendship cannot be disturbed. Pakistan and China have joint security attempts to prevent such attempts at destroying the work that the two countries are working on."

He added that he hoped to speak to his Chinese counterpart "soon."'

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has conducted a low-level separatist insurgency against the state for nearly two decades.

The organization, which grew out of anger over the state's perceived monopoly of the province's mineral resources, previously have killed and kidnapped Chinese engineers working in the province.

Balochistan is at the core of the massive multi-billion dollar cooperation deal known as China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

CNN's Bard Wilkinson contributed to this report.

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