A man and an infant were killed, and nearly 100 people were injured by celebratory gunfire during Pakistan's Independence Day celebrations in Karachi. The incidents occurred on the eve of the country's independence anniversary on Thursday, with gunfire erupting across the capital.
According to Dr. Summaiya Syed, Karachi's police surgeon, casualties were reported across multiple hospitals. Civil Hospital treated 17 victims, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital received 24, and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre admitted 53. The man killed was from Karachi's PIB Colony neighborhood, and the infant also succumbed to stray bullets.
Pakistan news outlet Dawn reported the death of a woman admitted with a gunshot wound, though police attributed her death to an accidental firearm discharge. Initial figures from the Edhi Foundation charity stated 86 injuries, including 10 women, 17 children, and 59 men, a number that has since risen.
Celebratory gunfire, often termed 'happy firing,' involves shooting into the air during celebrations and is a practice noted in several countries, including Pakistan and India. It is widely criticized for its potential lethality. Last year, three people, including a young girl, died, and over 100 were injured by similar gunfire in Karachi during Independence Day festivities.
Incidents were reported in numerous parts of Karachi, including Lyari, Saddar, Korangi, Malir, Azizabad, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Gulbahar, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Orangi Town, Jamshed Quarters, and Defence.
Police in Karachi's East district have launched a crackdown, arresting 30 suspects and seizing alleged weapons used in the shootings. Arrests were made in areas covered by the Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Sharea Faisal, Sachal, Gulistan-i-Johar, and Site Super Highway police stations. In the West district, police apprehended three suspects in connection with celebratory firing.
Despite repeated government bans and police efforts, celebratory gunfire remains a persistent issue in Pakistan during public celebrations like Independence Day and New Year's Eve.
Pakistan gained independence from Britain on August 14, 1947, following the passage of the 1947 Indian Independence Act by the UK government. The British Raj ended with the subcontinent's partition into Pakistan and India, with annual street celebrations marking the independence.
Separately, in 2019, a groom in India was killed by celebratory gunfire at his wedding when a friend's firearm misfired. The groom's brother sustained life-threatening injuries in the same incident. The fatal shot occurred minutes after the groom exchanged wedding garlands. Local media reported the friend attempted to clear a jammed gun, leading to three misfired bullets, one of which struck the groom and another his brother.