������Ƶ

KARACHI: An explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi left at least 34 people injured on Thursday, triggering a fire that engulfed the building, officials and rescue workers said. 

The blast occurred in a firecracker warehouse located within a building in the densely populated Saddar area of the metropolis. Flames and smoke could be seen billowing from the site and nearby streets littered with shattered glass in videos widely shared on social media. The intensity of the blast was so severe it was reportedly heard several kilometers away.

Dr. Summaiya Syed, a police surgeon Karachi, said 34 injured persons were brought to the city’s Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) and Civil Hospital after the blast. 

“Of the 34, four are critical, two each now under treatment in these two hospitals,” Dr. Syed told Arab News. 

Rescue officials confirmed that the fire was extinguished after several hours of firefighting. 

“Ten fire tenders and a snorkel unit were involved in extinguishing the blaze,” Hassaan Khan, a spokesperson of the Rescue 1122 emergency service, said.

The cause of the blast was immediately not clear. Police said the warehouse was owned by two brothers, both of whom were injured in the incident. 

“We have recorded an initial statement from one of the owners, both will be included in the investigation,” said Deputy Inspector-General South Asad Raza said. 

He added that the explosion had damaged several nearby vehicles and shattered the windows of surrounding buildings.

“Police will thoroughly investigate how the blast occurred,” the police official said. “Once the cause is determined, appropriate action will follow.”

Meanwhile, Sindh Home Minister Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar has sought a detailed report from police on the incident. He also directed police to verify whether the warehouse owners had a valid license to store fireworks. 

The minister told reporters that such warehouses are not allowed to exist in residential areas, assuring that those responsible would face legal action.

Explosions at fireworks facilities have taken place in Pakistan in the recent past. In January this year, six people were killed in a similar blast at a fireworks storage site in Mandi Bahauddin, a city in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province.

Islamabad: The 50th International Seerat-un-Nabi Conference will be held in Islamabad this year, focusing on the role of the state in guiding young people on the positive use of social media in light of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the country’s religious affairs minister said on Thursday.

The Seerat-un-Nabi Conference is Pakistan’s largest annual religious gathering dedicated to discussions on the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Organized each year by the Ministry of Religious Affairs, it coincides with the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, which Muslims commemorate as the month of the Prophet’s birth. This year’s edition carries added significance as it will be the 50th conference and part of nationwide observances to mark the 1500th year since the Prophet’s birth.

Rabi’ Al-Awwal 2025 is expected to begin on Aug. 24, 2025, depending on the sighting of the moon. The 12th of Rabi’ Al-Awwal, which is the date of Eid Milad-un-Nabi (the Prophet’s birthday), will be on Sept. 4. The Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles, so the exact dates can vary based on moon sightings.

“The conference’s theme is ‘State responsibilities in the teaching and training for the beneficial use of social media in the light of the Seerat-un-Nabi,’” Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf was quoted as saying in a statement released by his office. 

The minister made the remarks while chairing an inter-provincial meeting in Islamabad attended by representatives from federal and provincial religious affairs departments, as well as secretaries from Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

At the meeting, officials also finalized plans for the Ashra Rehmat-ul-lil-Alameen (Decade of Mercy to the Worlds), to be marked from 1–12 Rabi-ul-Awwal with events nationwide.

Yousaf said the purpose of the Ashra was to promote greater awareness of the Prophet’s life and guidance: 

“Students of modern educational institutions and religious seminaries will hold joint programs where young people can express their views.”

He added that efforts must be made to find solutions to contemporary challenges by following prophetic teachings: 

“We must protect our education, economy, social values, and family system from being affected in the present age. The deterioration in society is due to not following the Uswa-e-Nabavi (the exemplary life of the Prophet).”

The minister emphasized that it was the collective duty of Muslims to spread the Prophet’s message. 

“In today’s era of social media, it has become even easier to spread the message of Islam,” Yousaf added.