Lahore Explosions | Panic swept through Pakistan’s Lahore on Thursday after a series of loud explosions shook the city, sending residents fleeing their homes in Gopal Nagar and Naseerabad near Walton Airport. The incident comes just a day after India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, a major precision strike on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians.
Local media and international news agencies reported that sirens blared across central Lahore as multiple explosions echoed through the densely populated neighborhoods. Visuals captured by residents showed people rushing out of homes, with plumes of smoke seen rising near the site of the blasts.
The affected areas are adjacent to Lahore’s posh central business district and army cantonment, intensifying concerns of a security breach.
According to Samaa TV, police sources suspect the explosions may have been caused by a drone, reportedly 5-6 feet long. The unmanned aerial vehicle was allegedly neutralized through jamming systems. So far, no casualties or civilian infrastructure damage has been confirmed.
Flight Operations Suspended in Multiple Pakistani Cities
As a precautionary measure, flight operations at Lahore, Karachi, and Sialkot airports have been temporarily suspended, disrupting air traffic across Pakistan. This follows a wider air defence alert issued after India’s precision strikes.
According to unverified reports, the strike was reportedly carried out by IAF’s Harop drones. (Representational Image)
The chaos in Lahore unfolded less than 24 hours after India’s military launched Operation Sindoor, a coordinated offensive involving the Indian Army and Air Force. The operation targeted nine terrorist facilities operated by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
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- Rafale fighter jets conducted air-to-surface missile strikes.
- The Army launched surface-to-surface missiles in tandem.
- 80-90 terrorists were killed, according to sources, across Pakistan and PoK.
India was quick to assert that no Pakistani military infrastructure was targeted and that sites were carefully chosen to minimize civilian harm.
Pakistan’s Reaction: Accusations and Artillery Fire
Despite India’s presentation of visual evidence linking the bombed sites to terror outfits, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the strike an “act of war” and claimed that civilians, including women and children, were killed—allegations New Delhi has firmly denied.
In retaliation, Pakistan’s military resorted to artillery fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Poonch-Rajouri sector, reportedly killing 15 Indian civilians. Indian authorities have labelled the shelling unprovoked and say they are continuing to respond with measured force.
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The Indian Ministry of Defence reiterated that Operation Sindoor was a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, in which terrorists killed 26 tourists and locals in cold blood. “Our strikes were aimed strictly at terror infrastructure. We exercised maximum restraint while ensuring accountability,” said a Defence Ministry spokesperson.
High Alert on Both Sides
As both nations brace for further escalation, India has suspended commercial flights from key border airports and placed air defence systems on high alert.
Pakistan has activated its air defence protocol and increased troop deployments along sensitive sectors near the LoC.
International observers are calling for restraint and diplomacy, but tensions remain volatile with neither side backing down.
