Saudi diplomat working for Saudi consulate in Pakistan’s biggest city of Karachi killed

A Saudi diplomat working for the Saudi consulate in Pakistan's biggest city of Karachi was shot dead Monday near the diplomatic mission, in the second attack of its kind since the killing of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

According to a Karachi police official, the attack took place as four people riding motorcycles opened fire on the Saudi diplomat's car. The diplomat, a low ranking security official, was on his way to the consulate when the assailants struck.

Pakistan's interior minister condemned the attack and ordered Karachi authorities to provide "complete security" to Saudi nationals stationed in the city.

The Saudi state news agency named the diplomat as Hassan al-Qahtani and described his killing as a "criminal attack." It said Saudi officials would investigate the shooting alongside the Pakistani authorities.

For his part, the Saudi ambassador, Abdul Aziz al-Ghadeer, condemned the attack. "We condemn this attack. No one who carries out this kind of attack can be a Muslim," he told Reuters. "We trust the Pakistani authorities and hope they will identify the terrorists and bring them to justice," ambassador al-Ghadeer said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Talian claimed responsibility of the attack and warned the United States against attacking its close ally Al-Qaeda.

The shooting, which a Saudi embassy official said occurred about 60 meters (200 feet) from the consulate, came days after unidentified attackers threw two hand grenades at the consulate in Pakistan's commercial hub. No one was hurt in that attack.

A Saudi Interior Ministry official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters in Dubai that security would be stepped up to protect Saudi diplomats living in "dangerous" areas.