Pakistan's test of the Shaheen-III missile goes wrong. Missile hits Nuclear Facility in DG Khan resulted in a huge explosion which was heard in the 20 km range said local journalist source

A massive blast near Pakistan’s Atomic Commission office in Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, was felt up to 50 kilometers away, triggering an emergency response. Videos on social media depict the scene, but the cause remains uncertain, with no confirmed casualties.


This incident follows earlier suicide bombings in Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that claimed 65 lives. As terrorist attacks surge in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan after the TTP ended its ceasefire, the country vows to combat all terrorist groups, including ISIS and the TTP. In September alone, Pakistan experienced 99 attacks, resulting in 112 deaths and 87 injuries, mostly targeting security personnel and civilians.

Media reports suggest that Pakistan’s Shaheen-III missile struck a nuclear facility, causing a loud explosion. DG Khan’s Commissioner’s spokesperson mentioned the possibility of a sound barrier breaking, with no reported casualties. Videos on social media show the explosion’s impact. Pakistan’s army halted internet services in the area, limited media access, and advised residents to stay indoors. While there are theories about the missile’s misfire or a drone strike, officials haven’t confirmed either.

On the other hand, there are also claims that an enemy drone strike carried out an attack on the Pakistan nuclear plant in DG Khan.

Earlier Failures of Shaheen-III Missile

Pakistan ‘successfully’ test-fires missile injuring people, destroying houses in civil area, say Baloch leaders. Sher Mohammad Bugti, the central spokesman of BRP, also alleged that the Pakistani Army has turned Baluchistan into a laboratory.

In January 2021, Pakistan Army had claimed that it successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile – Shaheen-III, that can carry out strike targets up to 2,750 kilometres.

Soon after the launch, the Pakistan Army’s propaganda arm – the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the ‘successful’ launch of Shaheen-III missile was “aimed at revalidating various design and technical parameters of the weapon system”.

However, contrary to Pakistani Army’s successful Shaheen-III Missile tests, several reports that same from Pakistan suggested that the test carried out by Pakistan was a massive failure as the missile landed in a civilian area in Baluchistan destroying several houses and injuring civilians.

However, this isn't the first time a Pakistan missile test has gone awry.

Last year, an unidentified Pakistani missile fell in the Jamshoro in the restive Sindh province.

Though government officials refuted claims made regarding that incident, independent military watchers in the country claimed that Pakistan did test fire a missile after India's BrahMos cruise missile accidentally landed in the neighbouring nation.

A similar incident took place in 2020 also.

At that time, Pakistan's Babur-II missile, which can be fired from both land and sea, crashed into the ground during a test flight in Baluchistan.

It's worth noting that Pakistan is among a select band of countries that possess nuclear arms, besides using nuclear power to generate electricity, much like its larger neighbour India.