4 security men, 2 militant killed in attack on Karachi airport

At least five persons, including four security personnel, were killed tonight when heavily armed militants attacked the Jinnah International Airport's old terminal in Pakistan's financial capital Karachi.

Around five to eight men armed with explosives and ammunition dressed in airport security personnel uniforms entered the Fokker building at the old airport terminal, police sources said. "Four personnel of the Airport Security Force (ASF) have been killed and one militant gunned down," one police source told PTI.

Heavy contingents of paramilitary rangers and police have been called in and had surrounded the Fokker building where the attackers were holed up. 

All flight operations at Jinnah Terminal have been suspended and all routes to the airport have been sealed. "Heavy firing is going on near a building located just next to the Pakistan International Airlines head office," one eye witness said.
The old airport area houses the PIA engineering and other departments and also offices of civil aviation and ASF. 

Television footage showed a loud explosion inside the old airport terminal while heavy firing also continued to go on.

A source said the militants had also carried out hand grenade attack was on the Isphani Hanger. The attackers are said to have forged fake ID cards of ASF and entered the area. Staff is being rescued by the security personnel and moved to safer areas, reports said, adding that rescue teams are being allowed after being checked throughly.

The militants are said to have entered from the Fokker gate which is used by engineering staff to go to the runaway and hangers.

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