Did A Blast Rock Pakistan's Largest Nuclear Storage Site At Dera Ghazi Khan? Here's What We Know So Far

A blast rocked the city of Dera Ghazi Khan in Pakistan's Southern Punjab province, on Friday afternoon (October 6), near Pakistan's atomic commission office, reported Times of India.

The blast's impact extended as far as 30-50 kilometers away, affecting regions in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

The sudden noise startled local residents, prompting them to leave the vicinity. Videos circulated on social media depicted people evacuating the area while rescue teams and law enforcement personnel rushed to the scene.

Notably, Dera Ghazi Khan is host to Pakistan's largest nuclear center and stores uranium as part of its nuclear inventory.

The nature of the rumored blast cannot be identified, although it is worth noting that Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has given threats to the nuclear site since 2012.

Amid mounting speculation regarding a potential nuclear incident or a mishap during a Shaheen missile test, Nasir Mahmood Bashir, the Commissioner of Dera Ghazi Khan, clarified that the "blasts" were, in fact, caused by Pakistani Air Force fighter jet breaking the sound barrier.

A spokesperson for the commissioner, Mazhar Sheerani, assured that no reports of terrorism, damage, accidents, or vandalism had been received.

He stated that concerned departments had conducted preliminary investigations into the incident.