Midnight Blasts in Bahawalpur: What Really Happened on May 6–7?
On the midnight (12:10) between May 6 and 7, Bahawalpur witnessed a terrifying spectacle — four powerful bomb blasts echoed through the city, lighting up the sky so brightly it looked like daytime. The sound shattered windows, rattled homes, and sent the entire population into a state of panic as they rushed out of their houses in confusion and fear.
The information, which was not reported, stated that the District Police Officer (DPO) of Bahawalpur was urgently summoned at 10:30 PM to evacuate the Masood Azhar training complex — a jungle-adjacent enclave off National Highway 5, once known for its grand mosque, Subhan Allah, now turned into a full-fledged separate colony.
Elite force units were already clearing out residents from the complex. Most complied, but one family refused to leave, insisting they had just returned after the Pulwama incident and now they don't want to leave their home, as this place has always been on high alert. As negotiations continued, missiles struck — while some elite personnel were still inside the mosque and were saving themselves from falling rocks. Debris smashed into the vehicles of the forces standing outside the building.
It should be noted that at 9:30 PM, Pakistan Air Force personnel were also summoned and were reportedly placed on emergency alert.
Interestingly, unlike Lahore or Sialkot, the Bahawalpur city remained brightly lit — no blackout was imposed. The only darkened zone was Bahawalpur Garrison, raising many eyebrows, especially in a city infamous for losing electricity power at the slightest excuse.
Back in 2018, under IMF pressure, the Pakistani establishment tried to "whitewash" the same complex — presenting it to foreign journalists as a simple religious seminary. Media-friendly voices like Jehanzaib Khanzada endorsed this narrative, dismissing any militant activity. But the events of June 6 raise disturbing questions: Who were those fleeing clerics and fighters reportedly seeking refuge in Masood Azhar's relatives’ homes in the city, leaving the complex?
No official answer has been offered for why Bahawalpur — a city now caught in geopolitical crossfire — was left unprotected, with no blackout, no warning, and no accountability. Was this a deliberate strategy to either provoke outrage through civilian casualties or allow Indian strikes to take out militant targets nestled within the population?
Bahawalpur was handed over to the "enemy forces" by the "Pak Army" without a voice. Between June 6 and 8, not once was this city darkened for safety. And no one dares to ask: Why were Jihadist Infrastructures allowed to exist in a city of millions? Why was the public put in harm’s way?
India, according to its foreign minister, claimed it alerted Pakistan in advance to avoid civilian loss. Their aim, they said, was not to harm citizens or even militants, but only to destroy the infrastructure of terror.
Those who died in the attack were called martyrs, as they always say, and the Pak Army went to offer their funeral prayers. A colonel even gave a speech there and said that 31 people had died in the enemy's cowardly attack, but "Thanks God," not a single one of our army soldier died.