The dawn of the New Year 2026 was marred by violence in Karachi, as celebratory aerial firing left at least 28 people injured, including several women and children. Hospital and rescue officials confirmed the casualties, which spanned numerous neighborhoods across the metropolis, turning festive moments into scenes of panic and emergency.
Victims and Locations: A City-Wide Trauma
The injured were rushed to major medical facilities including Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Civil Hospital Karachi, and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Among the victims were six women and two young girls. Disturbing details emerged of children like 8-year-old Fareeha near Safora and 11-year-old Mah Jabeen in Korangi's Area Market being struck by falling bullets.
Adult women injured in the indiscriminate firing included 18-year-old Wajiha in Mahmoodabad, 40-year-old Aleena in Qayyumabad, 55-year-old Shameem Umar in Gulzar-e-Hijri, and 53-year-old Meraj Bano in the Lines Area. The incidents were not confined to one area; rescue sources reported casualties from Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Korangi, Liaquatabad, Lyari, Mauripur, Pak Colony, Azam Basti, Gulberg, Manzoor Colony, and Kashmir Road.
A Dangerous Celebration: The Human Cost
The victims' ages highlighted how the reckless gunfire spared no one, ranging from a 16-year-old Kaasham Kumar near Five Star Chowrangi to a 65-year-old Zaheer at Johar Mor. Other injured individuals named by officials were 35-year-old Drees Shafiq in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, 33-year-old Nabeel in Golimar, and 40-year-old Naik Muhammad near New Sabzi Mandi.
This recurring tragedy underscores a persistent public safety failure during celebrations. The aerial firing continues to pose a lethal threat, with bullets fired into the air returning to the ground at deadly speeds, endangering innocent lives in their own homes and streets.
Official Response and Public Plea
Authorities reiterated their stern warning to the public, urging an immediate end to the practice of celebratory gunfire. They emphasized that this dangerous tradition not only endangers innocent lives but also ruins what should be joyous occasions for families across the city.
The start of 2026 in Karachi serves as another grim reminder of the need for stricter enforcement of laws against illegal weapon use and a stronger societal condemnation of a practice that has repeatedly led to tragedy and loss.
