Two killed in blast near Karachi airport

KARACHI:

Two people have been killed and 10 others, including a foreigner, injured as a powerful explosion sent shockwaves near Karachi airport. The Sindh home minister has said that the blast, caused by an oil tanker fire, was an act of terror, and the target was a foreigner traveling in a car.

Several vehicles were completely destroyed in the explosion, while motorbikes and some cars were partially damaged. After the explosion, police, rangers, and rescue teams rushed to the scene and worked to extinguish the blazing inferno.

The initial cause of the fire in the tanker is yet to be confirmed. However, officials managed to establish that at least one person had been killed and 10 others were injured. Sindh Interior Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar said that the incident was an act of terrorism, with the assailants targeting a car that was carrying a foreign national. The foreigner was also injured in the blast. After the blast, long queues of vehicles formed on the road.

The oil tanker exploded with a loud bang near the airport traffic signal, and the sound was heard miles away. People living nearby rushed out of their homes. Rangers and police arrived at the scene immediately, cordoning off the area and pushing back the crowd to prevent further casualties.

Fire brigade trucks arrived and worked to extinguish the fire, which took about an hour to control. Res-cue teams reported that two people had died and 10 others were injured. The deceased and injured were immediately taken to hospital.

Among the injured were three security personnel, two rangers, a foreign national, a police officer, and three others. The foreign national was transferred to a private hospital.

After the explosion, severe traffic jam occurred around Shahrah-e-Faisal and the airport area, with police working to restore the flow of vehicles.

SSP Malir Kashif Abbasi said that investigations are being carried out from every angle. Following the incident, the home minister, IG Sindh, and other officials arrived at the scene.

Airport officials reported that the Jinnah Terminal building and its assets remained safe.

In the context of the explosion near Model Colony Road (Outer Signal Area) close to Karachi Airport, the Pakistan Airports Authority issued a statement, according to which the flight schedule at the terminal is continuing as normal.

The airport administration immediately dispatched fire tender vehicles to the site after the incident. The Airports Authority DG directed full cooperation in rescue operations. Relevant authorities are investigating the cause of the accident/explosion.

 

Reuters reported that BLA claimed responsibility for the attack.