Islamabad: Pakistan's Al Qaida-linked Taliban said on Monday they killed a Saudi Arabian diplomat in the Pakistani city of Karachi.
"We take responsibility," a Taliban spokesman said by telephone from an undisclosed location, referring to the killing of the diplomat earlier in the day.
"Until America stops chasing Al Qaida and stops drone strikes we will keep carrying out such attacks," he said, referring to US attacks with pilotless aircraft on militants in northwest Pakistan.
Criminal
Saudi Arabia condemned the attack as "criminal" on Monday, urging authorities to tighten security measures.
"The kingdom strongly condemns the criminal attack that targeted one of its members, Hasan Al Khatani, who was treacherously assassinated while on his way to work," said a foreign ministry official, quoted by SPA state news agency.
Saudi Arabia had asked the Pakistani authorities "to tighten their security measures around the consulate in Karachi and the Islamabad embassy, and on their staff," said the unnamed official.
"The foreign ministry is continuing its investigations in coordination with Pakistani authorities," SPA reported.
UAE condemns 'terrorist act'
The UAE has condemned what it called a "terrorist attack" and called on Pakistani authorities "to open a prompt and transparent investigation".
The Foreign Ministry offered condolences to Saudi authorities and the family members of the Saudi diplomat.
Hail of gunfire
The Saudi diplomat was killed in a hail of gunfire by drive-by shooters in Karachi, the second attack on Saudi interests in Pakistan's biggest city in less than a week, officials in Pakistan said.
The motive for the attack was unclear, but authorities said they were investigating whether it was connected to the death of Saudi-born Osama Bin Laden, whom US forces killed in the city of Abbottabad on May 2.
Police said Khatani worked in the consulate's security department and was driving a vehicle with diplomatic plates when two motorcycle riders unleashed a hail of gunfire at a crossroads in the city's upmarket Defence neighbourhood.
Karachi city police chief Iqbal Mahmoud said militants fired four bullets, killing him on the spot.
Two grenades
In another drive-by attack last Wednesday, assailants threw two grenades at the consulate in Karachi in what officials said could have been reaction to Bin Laden's death.
The Pakistani Taliban, blamed for some of the worst acts of violence in the country, last Friday claimed a double suicide bombing that killed 89 people outside a police training centre as their first revenge for Bin Laden.
Karachi has been awash with political violence, crime, kidnappings and a variety of hardline extremist groups are thought to operate in the city.
Saudi Arabia condemned last week's attack on its Karachi consulate as a "terror attack" and said it had "full confidence" in Pakistan's ability to bring the assailants to justice and provide the necessary protection to the mission.
"We condemn this attack. No one who carries out this kind of attack can be a Muslim," the ambassador, Abdul Aziz Al Gadeer, told Reuters. He did not give details on the rank of the diplomat who was killed.
Al Qaida violently opposed to Saudi government
Al Qaida is violently opposed to the Saudi government and has vowed revenge for the killing of its leader, Saudi-born Osama Bin Laden, by US special forces in Pakistan on May 2.
"Four people riding on two motorcycles opened fire at the car from two sides," said a police official.
"The Saudi national killed was himself driving the car and was probably going to the consulate from his house," Al Gadeer said.
"We condemn this attack. No one who carries out this kind of attack can be a Muslim."
He did not give details on the rank of the diplomat, who was killed following a grenade attack on the Saudi consulate in Karachi last week.
Earlier, police said the driver had been killed.
The attack came just days after two hand grenades were tossed at the consulate building, exploding but not hurting anyone.
The driver had earlier been reported as the sole occupant of the car when it was splattered with bullets in Karachi on Monday morning.
Police official Tariq Dhareji says the attack occurred in the posh neighborhood where the consulate is located.
