On May 8, 2025, a loud explosion was heard in Lahore near Walton Road – the area leading to the military airport – amid escalating tensions with India. Pakistani media (Geo TV) and a Reuters correspondent in Lahore both reported the blast, saying it occurred around 7 am local timegdnonline.com. Sirens blared and residents rushed outside; one witness, Ali Aftab, described hearing a “buzzing sound” followed by an explosion, and seeing smoke rising before security forces cordoned off the areagdnonline.com. No official cause has been confirmed.

• Location: Near Walton Airport, Lahore (residential area with military facilities)gdnonline.com
  
• Time: Early May 8, 2025 (around 7 am local time)gdnonline.com
  
• Immediate Reports: Local broadcaster and Reuters witness heard the blastgdnonline.com. Flight operations at Lahore (and Karachi, Sialkot) were suspended until late Thursday as a precautiontheguardian.com.
  
• Casualties: No confirmed casualties from this blast have been reported. Separately, Indian airstrikes conducted on May 7 reportedly resulted in the deaths of approximately 31 individuals in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, according to AP News.apnews.com.)
  

Eyewitness Accounts & Media Reports

Pakistani police have not yet disclosed the cause, and authorities are still continuing their investigation. A Reuters source on site said multiple blasts were heard in the Gopal Nagar and Naseerabad neighborhoods near Walton Airporthindustantimes.com. Eyewitness Ali Aftab (a Lahore resident) told Reuters he heard a loud “buzzing sound” and then an explosion at about 7 amgdnonline.com. He and others saw clouds of smoke and a heavy security presence shortly after. Geo News also reported flashes and sirens in the area; social media videos showed smoke plumes (though such clips could not be independently verified).

Importantly, the cause of the blast remains unclear. Neither Pakistan nor India has claimed responsibility. Pakistani officials have not blamed any side, and the Indian government denies any raid. An unnamed Indian defence ministry official told Reuters “there were no Indian operations underway in Lahore”gdnonline.com. At the same time, Pakistan’s military said it had been on high alert after India’s strikes on May 7 and reported shooting down dozens of drones overnightreuters.comdawn.com, but it gave no link between those actions and the Lahore explosion. (Later on May 8, Pakistani police said one drone was downed near Walton Airport; it is not confirmed if this drone was related to the blastdawn.comgdnonline.com.)

Also Read > India-Pakistan 2025 Conflict: Pahalgam Attack & Operation Sindoor Timeline

Official Statements

Official Response: Pakistan’s Focus on Indian Airstrikes

So far there is no official claim or warning about the Lahore explosion. Pakistan’s government has instead focused on defending against Indian actions. Pakistani military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistan shot down 12 Indian drones over multiple cities (including near Lahore) and warned that “India will continue to pay dearly for this naked aggression”reuters.comreuters.com. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, responding to India’s May 7 air strikes, called them a “cowardly attack” and vowed retaliationhindustantimes.com. Islamabad also suspended civilian flights and closed airspace (Lahore, Islamabad, Sialkot airports) on May 7 as a precautiontheguardian.comhindustantimes.com.

India Denies Involvement in Lahore Blast

From the Indian side, defence and diplomatic channels have so far denied any attack on Lahore. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said on May 7 that its strikes were “precise and restrained,” hitting only alleged terror camps, not civilian or Indian military targetshindustantimes.com. The unnamed Indian official told Reuters there was no Indian operation in Lahore at the time of the explosiongdnonline.com. India also reported that Pakistan fired across the Line of Control in Kashmir but India’s Foreign Ministry claimed 13 Indian civilians were killed (and dozens wounded) by Pakistani fire since May 7apnews.com.

Current Situation: High Alert but No Escalation

At press time, both sides are braced for further exchanges, but no new attacks on major cities have been announced. International media and governments have urged restraint, noting that neither side has provided evidence linking the Lahore blast to India.

Context: Operation “Sindoor” and Regional Tensions

The Lahore explosion occurred a day after India launched “Operation Sindoor” on May 7 – a series of air strikes on nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. India said these strikes targeted terrorist training camps (linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, etc.) in retaliation for the April 22 attack on Hindu tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which killed 26 peoplehindustantimes.comapnews.com. Pakistan denied involvement in the Kashmir attack and condemned India’s raids as an “act of war.” Pakistani authorities reported 31 civilians killed in those strikesapnews.com, while India claimed 13 of its civilians had died from Pakistani shelling.

Heightened alert between the nuclear neighbours meant that, by early May 8, air defenses were on standby in cities like Lahore. On May 8, Pakistan said it had shot down over a dozen drones overnight (several near Lahore and Rawalpindi)reuters.comapnews.com. The Lahore blast added to fears of escalation, but both governments have paused before any major retaliation. Flights in Lahore remained grounded as authorities assessed the situationtheguardian.com.

Key Takeaways

• Explosion in Lahore: A loud blast shook Lahore’s Walton Road on May 8, 2025; Geo News and a Reuters reporter confirmed itgdnonline.com. The smoke, sirens, and panic that followed are verified, but the cause is undetermined.
  
• No official culprit: Neither India nor Pakistan has officially claimed responsibility. Indian officials have denied any raid on Lahoregdnonline.com, and Pakistani authorities have not blamed India for the blast.
  
• Drone shootdown: In the same time frame, Pakistan’s army shot down an Indian drone near Walton Airportdawn.comapnews.com and claimed to have neutralised 12 drones over Punjabreuters.com. It is not confirmed whether these incidents are related to the explosion.
  
• Broader conflict: This incident comes amid a serious India–Pakistan flare-up. India’s May 7 cross-border strikes killed dozens in Pakistanapnews.com, and Pakistan vowed revenge. The two sides have so far paused major attacks after trading statements and downed aerial threats.
  
• International situation: Both countries have urged calm. Airports in Pakistan (Lahore, Karachi, Sialkot) remain briefly closed for security checkstheguardian.com. Global media emphasize that concrete evidence is lacking – making independent investigation crucial before any conclusion.

FAQs

Q: Was the Lahore blast an attack by India?
A: There is no evidence that India carried out this blast. India has denied any operation in Lahore on May 8gdnonline.com. Both Indian and Pakistani officials note that the cause is unclear. Investigations are ongoing, and international news outlets stress that the incident remains unverified.

Q: What did Pakistani officials say?
A: Pakistani authorities focused on prior events. The army reported shooting down a drone near Lahore, but has not linked it to the blastdawn.com. PM Sharif condemned India’s strikes on May 7 as “cowardly” and vowed to respondhindustantimes.com, but he did not address the Lahore explosion directly.

Q: How does this relate to “Operation Sindoor”?
A: Operation Sindoor was India’s May 7 counter-terror strike on Pakistan; it preceded the Lahore blast by one day. India said it hit terror camps onlyhindustantimes.com. The Lahore blast came amid the ensuing tension. Observers believe the close timing is notable, but stress there’s no confirmation the events are connected.

Q: Were there any casualties?
A: As of reporting, no casualties have been confirmed from the Lahore blast itself. The known casualties are from the May 7 strikes: Pakistani officials reported ~31 civilians killed in those strikesapnews.com, and India reported 13 civilian deaths from cross-border fire.

Q: Are flights affected?
A: Yes. Pakistani authorities suspended flights at Lahore, Karachi and other airports on May 7-8 as a safety measuretheguardian.com. Commercial flights resumed later that day once the airspace was deemed secure.

Q: What is the current situation?
A: Both sides remain on high alert, but no further major military action in populated areas has been reported since the blast. Air defense systems in Lahore and other cities are active. International observers are urging restraint. Experts advise monitoring official press briefings for updates, as the facts around the Lahore incident continue to be clarified.