Karsaz Tragedy: Pakistan marks 19 years since deadly Karachi bombing

Pakistan is marking 19 years since the Karsaz tragedy, one of the deadliest attacks in the country’s political history, which claimed more than 150 lives and injured hundreds of others.

The attack took place on October 18, 2007, when two explosions struck a procession welcoming former prime minister Benazir Bhutto near Karsaz in Karachi. Bhutto had returned to Pakistan after years in exile, and thousands of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers and supporters had gathered to welcome her.

The procession began at Karachi Airport and took several hours to reach Karsaz because of the large crowds lining the route. The celebrations turned into chaos when the explosions ripped through the procession, causing widespread destruction and panic.

In the aftermath, injured people lay waiting for help as families searched desperately for missing relatives. Ambulances rushed victims to hospitals, while rescue workers and volunteers worked to assist the wounded.

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The attack killed more than 150 people and left hundreds injured, devastating families and the wider PPP community. The tragedy remains a painful chapter in Pakistan’s political history.

Every year on October 18, people gather at the Martyrs’ Memorial to pay tribute to those who lost their lives. Participants lay flowers and offer Fateha in remembrance of the victims.

Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed described the Karsaz tragedy as more than a terrorist attack, calling it a painful episode in Pakistan’s political history. He said the incident claimed the lives of people associated with the democratic struggle and left lasting grief among their families and the political community.

Sindh government spokesperson Sadia Javed said the sacrifices of those killed in the attack would never be forgotten. She stressed the importance of remembering the victims and honouring their sacrifices.

Nineteen years on, the Karsaz tragedy remains a solemn reminder of the human cost of political violence and the lasting sorrow carried by families who lost their loved ones.