ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (Reuters) - A blast and gunshots were heard early on Friday near the Chinese consulate in Pakistan's southern coastal city of Karachi, television channels said.

It was not immediately clear how close the gunshots were to the consulate, or if it was the target of an attack.

Geo TV broadcast images of a plume of smoke billowing into the air, apparently from the blast earlier. Several other media reported gunfire by the consulate. (Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan; writing by Drazen Jorgic)

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