Blast heard in Pakistan's Lahore amid tensions with India: Report

Almost all the terrorist organisations have set up Islamic charities as their fronts in Pakistan. (Representative image)

Geo TV and a Reuters witness reported a blast in Pakistan's Lahore on the morning of May 8, a report by Reuters said.

Unconfirmed reports have said that loud explosions were heard on Walton Road and near the Walton Airport. The local authorities are investigating the nature of the blasts.

The details so far still sketchy and Moneycontrol could not independently verify the reports.

The development comes a day after India carried out strikes against terror hubs at nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Operation Sindoor, the name of India's attack, was in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians in April.

The reports have strengthened fears about an escalation of military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan says at least 31 of its civilians were killed and about 50 wounded in the strikes and in cross-border shelling that followed, while India says 13 of its civilians died and 43 were wounded.

The cross-border exchange of fire tapered off slightly overnight, Indian officials said.

India also conducted blackout drills in regions close to its border with Pakistan, including Amritsar which houses the Golden Temple revered by Sikhs, in anticipation of retaliation to its strikes.

In Pakistan, meanwhile, most cities restored some normalcy and children returned to school, but in the border province of Punjab, hospitals and civil defence authorities remained on high alert.

Although Pakistan's government has pledged to respond to India's strikes, Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told The New York Times on Wednesday that Pakistan was ready to de-escalate.

With India saying it would "respond" if Pakistan "responds", global powers have urged a calming of tensions. US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he hoped the countries could "work it out", adding he "will be there" if he can help.

With Reuters inputs