At least two people were killed and 11 others injured, including a foreign national, following a massive explosion outside Karachi’s airport on Sunday night. Conflicting reports have emerged about the nature of the blast, with officials suggesting it could have been caused either by an improvised explosive device (IED) or by a collision between a vehicle and an oil tanker. The explosion was so powerful that it was heard as far away as Clifton, and footage from the scene showed several vehicles engulfed in flames.
A large contingent of police and Rangers quickly arrived at the site, evacuating the injured to nearby hospitals. Among the injured were a police constable and a woman, with nine victims taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and two others shifted to a private hospital in Clifton. The injured were identified as police constable Waqar Ahmed, Mohammed Ilyas, Mohammed Naeem, Ranu Khan, Azeem Meer, Mrs. Tasleem Noor, Ali Rafiq, Hamza Ateeq, and Sabeeh Mohiuddin.
Deputy Inspector General (East) Capt (retd) Azfar Mahesar confirmed the death toll and destruction of seven vehicles, though he cautioned that the exact cause of the explosion would take time to confirm, pending forensic reports. While the banned Majeed Brigade of the Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attack, this claim has yet to be independently verified.
Following the blast, the Airports Security Force sealed all entry and exit points of the airport, and the area was cordoned off. Traffic on the road leading to the airport from Model Colony graveyard was also closed.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident and instructed police to ensure the safety of citizens. He also ordered that airport roads be cleared to avoid inconvenience for passengers. Meanwhile, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori urged caution and said that the ongoing investigation would determine the exact details. Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar, who visited the scene, indicated the explosion might have been caused by an IED and noted that a convoy of foreign nationals was passing through the area when the blast occurred.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) assured that all airport assets were safe and that flight operations were continuing as scheduled.
