Karachi, Apr 27 (IANS): Karachi Police had intelligence reports regarding an attack on the Chinese nationals in the city, said Additional Inspector General Ghulam Nabi Memon, Geo News reported.

In light of the intelligence reports, security was provided to the foreign nationals, he said.

The statement from the Karachi Police chief came after a female suicide bomber blew herself up near a van at Confucius Institute -- a Chinese language teaching centre at Karachi University.

Four people, including three Chinese nationals, were killed while four others sustained injuries. The deceased Chinese nationals were identified as the director of the Confucius Institute Huang Guiping, Ding Mupeng, Chen Sai, and their Pakistani driver, Khalid.

"The police had received reports regarding security threats to Chinese nationals and security was also provided to them, however, no intelligence report of suicide attack through a female bomber was received," the top police official said.

Ghulam Nabi Memon said a student of the Karachi University was used for the suicide bombing, however, investigations are underway regarding how the explosives were dispatched inside the university.

Meanwhile, Karachi University has rejected the report of the female suicide bomber studying at the varsity.