ISLAMABAD: A large explosion at Pakistan's key weapons-producing factory late on Thursday killed at least three employees and wounded two, the military and local authorities said. The army said the blast was an accident.
According to the army's statement, the blast took place at one of the plants of the Pakistan Ordnance Factories, located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of the capital, Islamabad. It did not give any further details and only said the explosion was accidental and that the situation was brought under control.
Meanwhile, footage circulating on social media from near the location shows thick smoke rising from the sprawling factory. The plant was established in the 1950s and is under the control of the ministry of defense.
The factory supplies weapons to Pakistan's military and also exports arms.
Accidental explosion at arms factory kills 3 — Pakistan army
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Accidental explosion at arms factory kills 3 — Pakistan army
- The blast took place at one of the plants of the Pakistan Ordnance Factories, located about 40 kilometers northwest of Islamabad
- Footage circulating on social media from near the site of the explosion showed thick smoke rising from the sprawling factory
Pakistan seeks UK action over ‘incitement to violence’ against top military commander
- Move follows a video that purportedly showed a PTI supporter in Bradford referencing violence against the army chief
- Pakistan’s deputy interior minister says the government has written to the UK, saying the content breaches British law
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said on Friday the government has written a letter to the United Kingdom to express concern over social media content circulating from British territory, which he said amounts to incitement to violence against the Pakistani state.
Speaking to a local news channel, Chaudhry said the government raised the issue after a video clip on social media purportedly showed a protester of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party criticizing Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and referring to violence against him.
“This is not a political matter, nor is it a question of freedom of expression,” the minister said while speaking to Geo TV. “This is clearly a violation of international law and of Britain’s own laws, including the British Terrorism Act 2006.”
He said the material went beyond political dissent and amounted to incitement to violence, adding that Pakistan had conveyed to British authorities that states are responsible for ensuring that individuals residing on their territory — whether citizens, asylum seekers or others — do not incite rebellion or violence against another sovereign country.
“What is very dangerous is that a very specific act — a car bombing — has been referenced,” he continued. “It has not been generalized.”
A social media post by a Britain-based journalist claimed that the video was recorded during a protest outside Pakistan’s consulate in Bradford, though neither the authenticity of the footage nor the identity of the individual could be independently verified.
Chaudhry said Pakistan’s complaint to the UK was lodged under international law, British law and United Nations principles governing relations between states, stressing that the issue was one of incitement rather than protected speech.
“This is not about freedom of expression. This is about incitement and terrorism, which is against Britain’s own laws,” he said, adding that Islamabad expects British authorities to take action.
Pakistani officials have also previously voiced concerns over social media activity by PTI supporters abroad that they say fuels unrest and hostility toward state institutions.
British authorities have not publicly responded to the letter or Chaudhry’s statement.
PTI has not reacted to either of them as well.
