Key Points:
- Three powerful explosions shook Lahore’s Walton Road near military installations early Thursday, with additional blasts reported in Karachi’s Sharafi Goth area, sparking widespread panic.
- Emergency services rushed to the scene; at least four Pakistan Army personnel were injured in Lahore.
- Airports in Lahore, Karachi, and Sialkot were temporarily closed, disrupting domestic and international flights.
- The blasts come a day after India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack.
- Pakistani authorities and media have launched a disinformation campaign, sharing misleading claims and recycled footage to deflect from the strikes’ impact.
Lahore/Islamabad: Just hours after India’s Operation Sindoor precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, a series of powerful explosions rocked major Pakistani cities on Thursday morning, deepening the climate of fear and confusion across the country.
Lahore: Blasts Near Military Installations Trigger Panic
At around 7 am local time, three loud explosions erupted in quick succession along Walton Road in Lahore, one of the city’s most upscale and sensitive districts, home to military and naval facilities. The blasts, reportedly near the 4 Air Defense (AD) compound and close to the Naval War College Headquarters in Gulberg III, sent residents fleeing from their homes in panic as thick black smoke billowed over the area. Emergency sirens blared while police, fire brigades, and bomb disposal squads cordoned off the scene and began rescue and investigation operations.
At least four Pakistan Army personnel were injured in the blasts, which are being probed as possible drone or missile attacks. Authorities sealed off the area, restricting public movement as bomb disposal and intelligence teams conducted preliminary assessments.
Karachi: Explosion in Sharafi Goth
Shortly after the Lahore incidents, another explosion was reported in Karachi’s Sharafi Goth area, with police recovering metal fragments from the site. Law enforcement and rescue teams were deployed, and the area was cordoned off as investigations continued. The cause of the blast remains under investigation, but the timing has heightened security alerts in Pakistan’s largest city.
Airports Closed, Flights Disrupted
In response to the escalating security situation, the Pakistan Airports Authority temporarily suspended all flight operations at Lahore, Karachi, and Sialkot airports until at least 12 pm Thursday. Both domestic and international flights were affected, with airlines advising passengers to check for updates and expect delays. SriLankan Airlines and other foreign carriers also suspended flights to Lahore.
Operation Sindoor and the Aftermath
These explosions come just a day after India’s tri-services Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen in Pakistan and PoK. The Indian government described the operation as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” emphasizing that only terror infrastructure was targeted, with no strikes on Pakistani military or civilian sites.
Disinformation and Propaganda Surge
In the wake of the strikes and subsequent chaos, Pakistani authorities and media have intensified a disinformation campaign, circulating old videos, unverified claims of shooting down Indian jets and drones, and fabricated stories of Indian casualties. Many viral images and videos have been debunked by Indian fact-checking agencies, exposing them as unrelated to the current events or outright fabrications.
Security Tightened, Investigations Ongoing
Authorities in Lahore and Karachi have increased security and are investigating the source and nature of the blasts. The situation remains tense, with heightened alert across major Pakistani cities and along the border.
A day after India’s Operation Sindoor strikes, Pakistan has been rocked by multiple explosions near sensitive military sites in Lahore and Karachi, leading to airport closures and widespread panic. As investigations continue, the region is also witnessing a surge in misinformation and propaganda, further complicating an already volatile situation.
