There's some bad stuff going down right now at Karachi's international airport.
KARACHI: Four terrorists have been killed while three personnel from the Airport Security Force (ASF) and one each from Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have been killed following an armed attack at the Karachi airport.
According to initial reports, four armed attackers hurled grenades and opened fire as they entered the tarmac from fokker gate. This led to an exchange of fire between ASF personnel and the gunmen.
Gunshots and blasts were being heard with intervals outside the airport and flight operations have been suspended.
Two planes were partially damaged in the terrorist attack. TV footage showed one of the planes had caught fire.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif contacted DG Rangers Rizwan Akhtar and directed him to ensure safety of all the passengers at the airport.
Pakistan Army personnel have also arrived to assist ASF and other Law Enforcement Agencies.
According to DG ISPR Asim Bajwa, Pakistan Army troops have started reaching the airport and taking positions. In a series of tweets the DG ISPR added that proper coordination has being ensured for optimum effect and the DG Rangers was present at the airport leading the operation. He added that the operation was being supervised by Corps Commander.
DG ISPR, in his tweets, said all passengers in the planes have evacuated to safer places. He said he made a contact with Operational Commander at the airport who said terrorists had been contained in one area.
There's a good reason why the Pakistan cricket team plays its matches in neutral venues such as Dubai and the UAE; Pakistan is simply too volatile and dangerous.
Ask the New Zealand players who were in the Pearl Continental Hotel in Karachi in 2002 when a bomb exploded outside. Ask the Sri Lankan players who were injured after gunmen fired on their team bus in Lahore in 2009.
This morning's events show that Pakistan is still far from a safe place. Whilst it is unfortunate that their players are continually denied the opportunity to ply their trade on home soil, player safety must be paramount, and the ICC must continue to leave Pakistan off the list of places to tour.
