A viral threat alert circulating on social media, purportedly from the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NCTA), has raised alarms about a suicide bombing threat in Karachi.
According to an allegedly leaked confidential document, four unidentified terrorists—Arsalan, Mushtaq, Abid, and Ghazanfar—have reportedly prepared a suicide bomber, posing a significant risk to the port city.
While the document remains unverified by official sources, it advises heightened security measures and extreme vigilance to avert potential untoward incidents. Recent security concerns have prompted increased protection at key locations, including the Karachi Press Club, Chief Minister House, and Governor House.
This recent threat follows last month’s successful operation by Pakistani security forces, where 17 terrorists were apprehended in Karachi, thwarting a major terror plot.
The arrested individuals, including a key commander, were reportedly seminary students from Afghanistan involved in sectarian and ethnic violence, target killings of politicians, and attacks on intelligence personnel in the port city.
The region experienced a surge in militant attacks last year, resulting in over 500 civilian casualties and hundreds of security personnel martyred—the highest in the last six years.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province bore the brunt of these attacks, with over 500 personnel lost to terrorist bombings and ambushes.
Pakistani armed forces reported the martyrdom of 265 officers and soldiers in militant attacks and counterinsurgency operations. Notably, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militants, taking refuge in Afghanistan, continue to conduct cross-border attacks, despite denials from the Afghan Taliban regarding sheltering or allowing their territory to be used for attacks against Pakistan.
