Police and rescue workers rushed to an area of Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Saturday after reports of an explosion followed by gunfire, prompting authorities to cordon off the site as officials sought to determine the nature of the incident. The cause of the reported blast, any casualties and those behind the incident were not immediately known.
Social Media Videos Show Police Surrounding Area
Videos circulating on social media showed police surrounding the area in Karachi's Gulistan-e-Jauhar neighborhood as intermittent gunfire was reported. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the provincial police chief and Karachi's additional inspector general of police to submit a detailed report on the incident.
“Police should immediately reach the site and take all necessary measures to determine the nature of the incident,” the chief minister said, according to a statement released by his office.
Edhi Foundation Dispatches Ambulances
The Edhi Foundation, Pakistan's largest volunteer ambulance service, said it had dispatched ambulances and volunteers after receiving reports of a blast and gunfire near a workshop behind Al Jadeed Shopping Center. Television broadcaster Geo News reported that gunfire was continuing in the area, while additional police contingents had been deployed and the neighborhood sealed off.
Karachi's History of Militant Attacks
Karachi, Pakistan's largest city and commercial hub, has witnessed militant attacks over the years by groups including the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). Authorities had yet to determine the cause of the reported explosion or provide further details about the incident.
