Islamabad

A massive explosion occurred in the northern Pakistani city of Sialkot, media reports said on Sunday. The sound of the blast was reportedly heard near the cantonment area in the Punjab province.

According to Kamran Yusuf, a journalist with Dawn newspaper, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the fire was caused by a electric short circuiting.

Indians sitting across the border in Punjab and Jammu heard the explosions and some also filmed the specters of fire and fumes rising in the skyline. One of the videos being shared on social media seems to have been filmed from the Indian side. The incessant explosions heard in the video speak of the devastation it might have caused in the area.

Diwali being celebrated in #Sialkot
Arms and ammunition depot of Pak Army on fire
Multiple explosions .
Sounds of blasts being heard upto 4km pic.twitter.com/RUHeW93DIU

— Panther🇮🇳 (@Panther7112) March 20, 2022

“Due to short circuiting, accidental fire broke out in ammunition shed near Sialkot Garrison. Due to effective and timely response, the damages were immediately contained and fire has been extinguished. No damage to property or loss of life,” he said on Twitter quoting ISPR.

One is reminded of the massive fire in Ojhri camp in which arms and ammunitions worth billions including the Stinger missiles given by the USA to Pakistan for the Taliban mujahideen in Afghanistan to fight the Russians were destroyed.