Pakistan was rocked by a series of bomb blasts on Thursday, May 8, 2025, with explosions reported in Lahore, Karachi, and up to 12 locations nationwide. The blasts come just a day after India’s Operation Sindoor-precision airstrikes targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir-raising concerns about a dangerous escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
The first reports of explosions came from Lahore, Pakistan’s eastern metropolis. According to police and eyewitness accounts, three loud blasts occurred in quick succession on Walton Road, close to the upscale Gulberg district. The force of the explosions was so intense that residents several kilometers away rushed out of their homes in panic. Emergency response teams, including bomb disposal squads and fire services, quickly cordoned off the area and began investigations.
Simultaneously, Karachi-Pakistan’s largest city-also reported blasts, leading to a temporary suspension of all flight operations at major airports in Karachi, Lahore, and Sialkot. The Pakistan Airports Authority announced that these airports would remain closed until noon, impacting both domestic and international flights and leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
The explosions weren’t limited to Lahore and Karachi. Local media and officials confirmed that blasts were reported at up to 12 different sites across Pakistan, including sensitive and densely populated areas. The timing, just hours after Indian airstrikes on terror infrastructure, has intensified speculation about the motive and source of the attacks.
These bombings follow India’s Operation Sindoor, in which the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force jointly targeted nine terror camps linked to groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Indian officials described the operation as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” emphasizing that only terror infrastructure-not civilian or military sites-was targeted. Pakistan, however, has reported at least 26 civilian deaths and 46 injuries from these strikes, and has vowed retaliation.
Authorities in Lahore and Karachi responded swiftly by deploying emergency teams, sealing off affected areas, and launching detailed investigations into the cause and nature of the explosions. The blasts have heightened anxiety among the public, with many fearing further violence or reprisals. The closure of major airports has disrupted travel plans for thousands and signals the seriousness with which authorities are treating the threat.
The bomb blasts and ongoing military actions mark the most severe escalation between India and Pakistan in over two decades. With both sides trading accusations and casualties, the risk of further conflict remains high. International observers have urged restraint, warning that continued hostilities between two nuclear-armed states could have grave regional and global consequences.
