Was there a huge blast near Pakistan army’s nuclear facility? Here’s what a top official said

NEW DELHI: Several media reports on Friday claimed that a huge blast was heard near Pakistan’s atomic commission office in Dera Ghazi Khan area of Punjab province. Pakistan maintains a stockpile of uranium in Dera Ghazi Khan and is the location of the country’s largest nuclear centre.
The blast was reportedly heard 30-50km away in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces as well.

The noise triggered panic among residents. Videos circulating on social media showed people vacating the area as rescue teams and police personnel arrived at the site.
As rumours started flying of a possible nuclear blast or a Shaheen missile test gone wrong, Commissioner of Dera Ghazi Khan, Nasir Mahmood Bashir, clarified the ‘blasts’ were in fact Pakistani Air Force fighter jet breaking the sound barrier.
According to the commissioner’s spokesperson, Mazhar Sheerani, there were no reports of any kind of terrorism, vandalism, accident or damage.
“Concerned departments have presented an initial report after investigation,” he added.
The incident comes just 48 hours after two suicide bombings occurred in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within a few hours of each other, resulting in the loss of at least 65 lives.
In Balochistan, the detonation occurred in close proximity to a mosque when a suicide bomber activated his explosives near a police vehicle, where individuals had assembled for a procession commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad. Similarly, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the blast occurred within a mosque.