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.
Well, Taliban are not behind this latest attack for sure. This is not their style neither it’s for their benefit. This is the same style that was used in GHQ attack and the direct beneficiary is India.
How come everyone believes India is not involved in this? Even if it is done by TTP, past reports suggest they receive funding from India and other ‘friendly’ countries.
Orion aircraft is used for sea surveillance and has never been used against the Taliban. What will they get destroying it? There is more than what meets the eye.
The only downside is that the military establishment is so shameless that it cannot defend its assets. And too coward to spill the beans and take appropriate action both against the attackers and their handlers/supporters.
A person who is sleeping can be woken but not the one who is pretending to be asleep.
Will the people stop thinking only in terms of conspiracy of RAW, CIA, Russians, Zionists, Iranians etc.
They may come out with ludicrous explanations that TTP was “mislaid” and paid by those enemies of Pakistan; otherwise TTP and other all such armed groups as LeT, JUd etc are very pious.
“Oh”May God!! please save our Pakistan…..
This has happened in a city which MQM,PPP and ANP claim to be theirs.Such a concentration of weaponery and people could not have gone unnoticed by their followers.So look around and you will find the answer.Surprisingly no one has demanded a boot on Interior Ministers’ behind.