Karachi, June 9 – In a militant attack similar to the 26/11 attack in Mumbai, 15 militants have laid siege to Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
The militants, who entered the airport with the help of forged identity cards of airport security personnel and caterers on Sunday night, have taken control of a plane and a hangar, and have killed 11 people so far.
The heavily armed gunmen are still involved in a gun battle with the Pakistani Army. Two aeroplanes have also been destroyed in the attack. Of the 11 persons killed, five were part of the security force that guards the airport, Airport Security Force (ASF), and six were Irani pilgrims.
All passengers have been evacuated.
Two massive blasts have been heard at the airport. One in the airport workshop, while one in the airport cargo area. The attackers have been able to ward off attacks by the army, they are blowing themselves up as soon as the army gets close to them. Pakistan Rangers have claimed that the weapons recovered from the militants are of Indian make.
A prominent politician of Pakistan, MQM leader Farooq Sattar, is on one of the aeroplanes that has been grounded on one of the runaways of the airport.
The Pakistan Army has said that it would take 14 hours to regain control and that the attack was conducted from the VVIP Haj cargo terminal, also called Old Airport. The Karachi headquarters of CIA is opposite to the terminal.
Photos: EPA
