China’s Xi extends condolences over blast in Pakistani capital, Xinhua reports

BEIJING, Feb 9 (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday ‍sent a message of condolences to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari over last ‌week’s deadly explosion ‌in Islamabad.

Xi “strongly condemned the violence and terrorist acts against innocent civilians”, and said ​China would support Pakistan in ‍fighting terrorism, ​according to the ​state-run Xinhua news agency.

On ‍Friday an attacker opened fire at the gates of a Shi’ite Muslim mosque ‍in Islamabad before setting off a suicide bomb and ‍killing ‍at least ​31 people in ​the ⁠deadliest attack of ‌its kind in Pakistan’s capital in more than a decade.

(Reporting by Beijing NewsroomEditing by Peter ⁠Graff)