Adil Najam
A series of explosions and blasts have been reported in Karachi in and around various military installations, including the Mehran Naval Aviation base. Multiple explosions were reported from the PAF area near Shahrah-e-Faisal in Karachi. Flames from within the Air Force compound have been shown on television and reportedly some of the attackers are still inside the military compound where fighting continues.
Details remain sketchy and continue to evolve by the minute. Meanwhile, some are already calling this a “Mumbai-like” operation with choreographed multiple points of attack and mention is being made of possibly hostages being taken within a particular part of the compound.
According to Dawn:
Several explosions have been heard near the PAF Museum on Dalmia Road in Karachi. The force of the blasts have shattered the windows of surrounding buildings, reports said. Heavy gunfire was also reported after the explosion. An eyewitness said that the blasts took place near the gate of Faisal Base.
A large fire and a thick cloud of smoke has also been reported. Police have sealed the area. “We are trying to check the cause of the blast. I cannot say,” said a senior police official. Another police official said gunfire was also reported from inside the base, Reuters reported. “Several blasts were heard inside, the firing is still continuing,” Aslam Khan, a senior police officer at site told AFP.
According to The News:
Four people were killed in an armed attack Sunday by terrorists on PNS Mehran, a heavily guarded base of Pakistan Navy, located along Sharea Faisal, according to a foreign news agency. TV images showed flames rising in the air from PNS Mehran where terrorists blew up a US made P-3C Orion plane of Pakistan Navy.
Five injured in the incident were shifted to a local hospital. Additional personnel of security forces were also seen moving inside PNS Mehran. Electricity of the entire area has also been shut down. Earlier, four blasts were reported from the area near PAF base Faisal.
Ambulances and fire tenders were seen rushing toward the base following the powerful blasts that were heard across a wide radius. Gunshots fired from sophisticated weapons were also heard following the blasts. It is pertinent to mention here that in the previous weeks three buses of Pakistan Navy had been attacked by terrorists in the metropolitan city of Karachi.
@Ali: The days direct involvement of RAW are almost over, specially since the day US came in region and “took care” of the work being done by Indians in past. If you read with open eyes I just stated that direct beneficiary of this attack is India only rather than Americans or anyone else. So either it was carried out by TTP or some XYZ, its India who is gonna get ultimate benefit. Kindly use your brain once in a while
@Nishant: I wish it was true. Keeping the history of making anti-Pakistan movies, media propaganda against Pakistans and even dragging politics by Indians in last World Cup says other wise. The “focused” Indians are so desperate that they could not come up with a genuine list and published a list filled with errors.
…good to see some Indians comments with “desi” names… :)
Anyone who has a little knowledge of these good and bad talibans, can very easily assess who is behind this latest attack.
The good Taliban, as stated in below comments were “created” by Pakistani agencies in Afghanistan, we all know the reason; The “bad Taliban” are recently created by the troika (now) based in Afghanistan and is currently focusing all of its energies in destabilizing Pakistan. No doubt, men in front are Pakistani nationals, religious and/or ethnic extremists, but their strings are in the hands of this troika which is “investing” huge sums in this game.
Let’s see what Pakistani players come up with to counter this!
This is for sure Americans. The Orions were equipped with advanced radars, and this was the only effective radar system against any intruders coming into Pakistan.
They have destroyed it, which means you will not be able to keep minimal surveillance on them. A pure american sponsored move, which is a response to the hitting that took place on their convoy in Peshawar this week.
It is important that we work out our relations with US at the moment and utilize all we can to kill the militants in the country. Tragic how they are destroying Pakistan, death to militants!!!