Authorities Identify Suicide Bomber Behind Karachi Airport Blast

KARACHI: Authorities have made significant strides in the investigation into the recent blast near Jinnah International Airport, identifying the suicide bomber involved in the deadly attack.

Investigators revealed that the attacker, Shah Fahad, registered the vehicle used in the bombing under his name on September 5, 2023. Further investigations disclosed that Fahad, along with two accomplices, arrived in Karachi on December 3, 2023, and checked into a hotel in the city’s Preedy area at 7:49 p.m.

Officials also confirmed that Fahad returned to Karachi on October 4, 2024, making a biometric entry at another hotel at 10:47 a.m. On the day of the explosion, he checked out at 12 noon, just hours before the attack occurred.

The suspect’s frequent stays in two hotels in the same area have provided crucial leads, giving investigators insight into his activities. Authorities have also geo-fenced a three-kilometer radius around the site of the explosion to trace communications, and several individuals have been detained on suspicion of collaborating with the terrorists.

“Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind,” as William Shakespeare once wrote, and the probe has intensified in an effort to uncover the network behind the attack. Investigators are also looking into how sensitive information about the movements of Chinese engineers, who were reportedly the target, was leaked to the attackers.

In response to the explosion, which occurred on Airport Road, law enforcement agencies, including the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), have launched raids across Karachi and parts of Balochistan. Investigative teams gathered evidence overnight, actively pursuing those responsible for the tragic incident.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to dismantle the terror network involved in the blast.