Seven bodies recovered from Karachi airport’s cold-storage facility

Published June 10, 2014
- Photo by AP
- Photo by AP

KARACHI: At least seven bodies were recovered in the early hours of Tuesday morning from Karachi airport’s cold-storage facility, DawnNews reported.

The rescue operation continued nearly for 28 hours. The rescue workers finally broke down three walls of the cold-storage facility to retrieve the victims.

Meanwhile, talking to media persons Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed said that the corpses were immediately shifted to Jinnah Hospital for DNA tests in order to identify them, after which they would be handed over to their relatives.

Ahmed said that the bodies were badly burnt and were beyond recognition and the process of identification would take three weeks time.

He added that if the deceased could not be identified, they would be buried after being provided temporary identification.

One of the Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel was still missing, Ahmed claimed.

According to sources, the deceased were employees of a private cargo company.

Due to the fact that Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) lacked heavy machinery, many prominent social workers voluntarily sent cranes to rescue the victims.

The army also assisted in the recovery of bodies in the rescue operation.

The deceased had taken refuge in the cold-storage facility to escape the carnage where they were earlier trapped.

“We are looking into this and according to the families some seven people were trapped inside the cold storage and were in contact with the families on cell phone,” said Abid Qaimkhani, a spokesman for CAA.

Earlier last night, the families of seven airport workers had blocked Shahra e Faisal demanding that authorities work towards freeing their relatives who were trapped.

While speaking at a press conference held at the airport last night, Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had said that at least 19 security personnel including 11 Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel were killed in the brazen attack.

He added that the main target of the assailants was to destroy aircraft in which they failed and that two or three aircraft received minor damages which were easily reparable.

On Sunday night, the assailants were said to have forged fake ID cards to pose as ASF personnel and had managed to enter the area that way.

The militants carried out the attack from three different sides, while there were reports that two terrorists managed to get inside a plane.

The operation against the attackers was successful and all militants were eliminated. On Monday afternoon, the airport was handed over to CAA and was opened for general public.



Karachi airport attack: How it happened...

``

Opinion

The price of chocolate

The price of chocolate

Little attention is paid to any long-term strategy which might prevent vulnerable children from working in homes where they are in danger.

Editorial

Cholistan project
Updated 18 Feb, 2025

Cholistan project

GPI goals align with Pakistan's broader economic aims but the manner in which the initiative was launched raises questions.
Right to know
18 Feb, 2025

Right to know

IT is an unfortunate paradox that while on paper Pakistan has some of the most impressive right to information laws,...
Dam dispute
18 Feb, 2025

Dam dispute

THE situation in Chilas needs attention and a fair-minded approach so that it can be resolved amicably. Diamer ...
Climate funding gap
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

Climate funding gap

Pakistan must boost its institutional capacity to develop bankable climate projects.
UN monitoring report
Updated 17 Feb, 2025

UN monitoring report

Pakistan must press Kabul diplomatically over its tolerance of TTP terrorism.
Tax policy reform
17 Feb, 2025

Tax policy reform

THE cabinet’s decision to create a Tax Policy Office at the finance ministry has raised hopes that tax policy is...