1 killed, 10 injured in explosion near Karachi airport

People in Karachi could see plumes of smoke billowing after hearing a loud sound as a massive blast near the airport area rocked the city. At least four people were reportedly injured in the blast.

In Short

• Smoke and fire visible near blast site
• A car set ablaze near VIP protocol area
• People across the city could hear the blast sound, according to local TV reports

At least one person died, and 10 others were injured in a massive explosion near the international airport of the southern Pakistan city of Karachi on Sunday night, reported local media. The Pakistani separatist militant group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar, speaking to Geo News, said that the explosion was caused by a suspected improvised explosive device (IED), in which one foreigner was also injured.

The residents across the city heard the blast, and could see plumes of smoke billowing from the area, according to initial news reports. The people injured in the blast have been shifted to a nearby hospital.

Television footage showed smoke rising from the area, with a large fire visible on a road near the blast site. The sound of the explosion was reportedly heard in different parts of the city, including North Nazimabad, and Karimabad.

The fire that sparked from the blast spread as a few vehicles were set ablaze near the airport, an area typically used by VIP protocol vehicles.

The explosion occurred on the road leading out of the airport, as reported by another journalist at the scene.

Further details are awaited as authorities investigate the incident.