Two people were reportedly killed and hundreds injured in incidents linked to celebratory aerial firing across major Pakistani cities on the eve of Independence Day, according to officials and hospital reports.
Injured individuals were taken to major hospitals near key public gathering spots in several cities as celebrations got underway.
Deaths Reported by Police Surgeon
A police surgeon told reporters that a man and an infant died after being struck during aerial firing incidents. A woman brought to hospital with a gunshot wound also later died; police said her death resulted from accidental firing rather than a deliberate act.
Karachi Sees Dozens of Reported Injuries
Edhi Foundation earlier reported 86 injuries in Karachi alone, including 59 men, 17 children, and 10 women, following aerial firing incidents across different parts of the city. Incidents were reported in areas including Lyari, Saddar, Korangi, Malir, Azizabad, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Gulbahar, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Orangi Town, Jamshed Quarters, and Defence.
Police Launch Crackdown, Make Arrests
Police responded with a crackdown against aerial firing in several districts. In Karachi’s East district, 10 suspects were arrested, and weapons allegedly used in the firing were recovered, with arrests made within the jurisdictions of the Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Sharea Faisal, Sachal, Gulistan-i-Johar, and SITE Super Highway police stations. Police in the West district separately arrested three more suspects over aerial firing incidents.
Reports also noted unrest in parts of Lahore, Multan, and Karachi during the celebrations, though the specific circumstances behind those disturbances were not immediately clear.
A Recurring Problem Despite Restrictions
Celebratory gunfire remains a persistent issue in Pakistan during Independence Day and New Year celebrations, despite repeated official restrictions aimed at curbing the practice. Last year’s Independence Day saw three people killed and more than 100 injured in similar celebratory gunfire incidents.
