KARACHI — Nineteen years have passed since the Karsaz tragedy, yet the pain of that day remains raw as Pakistan on Sunday remembered the October 18, 2007 attack that killed more than 150 people and injured hundreds.
The tragedy unfolded when two explosions struck a welcome procession for former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto near Karsaz in Karachi. Bhutto had returned to Pakistan after years of exile, and thousands of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) workers and supporters had gathered to welcome their leader and celebrate her return.
A Celebration Turned to Carnage
The procession, which began at Karachi Airport, took several hours to reach Karsaz because of the massive crowds. The atmosphere of celebration and political enthusiasm turned into horror when two explosions rocked the procession, leaving widespread destruction and devastation.
In the aftermath of the blasts, injured people lay waiting for assistance as others desperately searched for missing relatives. Ambulances rushed victims to hospitals, while rescue workers and volunteers worked to aid the wounded.
The attack claimed more than 150 lives, injured hundreds and left countless families grieving the loss of loved ones. The incident remains one of the darkest chapters in Pakistan’s political history.
Annual Tributes at the Martyrs’ Memorial
Every year on October 18, tributes are paid to the victims at the Martyrs’ Memorial, where flowers are laid and Fateha is offered in remembrance of those who lost their lives.
Sindh Assembly Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed said the Karsaz tragedy was not merely a terrorist attack but a painful chapter in Pakistan’s political history. He noted that the incident claimed the lives of people associated with the democratic struggle and left an enduring mark on their families and the political community.
Sindh government spokesperson Sadia Javed said the sacrifices of those who lost their lives in the Karsaz tragedy could never be forgotten. She emphasized the lasting significance of the incident and the need to remember the victims and their sacrifices.
A Solemn Reminder
Nineteen years later, the Karsaz tragedy remains a solemn reminder of the human cost of political violence and the enduring grief of the families who lost loved ones.
