Video of a fire in Karachi falsely shared as Pakistan train Hijack

The viral video is not related to the recent train hijack incident.

On 11 March 2025, the Jaffar Express, a Pakistani passenger train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar with about 440 people on board, was hijacked by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). According to officials, at least 71 people, including eight soldiers and all attackers, were killed in the attack and 37 others were injured. Amidst this, a video of a massive fire and people running around in panic is going viral on social media claiming to be from the recent hijacking of the Jaffar Express.

Let’s check the truth

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Fact Check

We found several  reports stating that the train hijack incident happened while the train was in a tunnel. However, the visuals seen in the viral video are clearly from an open space.

So, we started our investigation by running a Google reverse image search, whose result led us to a video uploaded on YouTube on 10 March, 2025. Carrying the similar visuals, the post identified it to be from a blaze near Chakar Hotel, Karachi.

Upon further search, we came across an Instagram video posted by @geonewsdottv on 10 March 2025 carrying similar visuals. The caption stated, “A fire broke out near Mir Chakar area in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Maymar on Monday. The cause of the blaze remains unknown”.

Using these hints, we conducted further searches and found several reports from Pakistan-based media outlets that a fire that broke out near Karachi’s Chakar Hotel on the Superhighway on Monday (10 March). According to these reports, on March 10, 2025, a fire erupted near the Karachi Super Highway, which subsequently spread to the nearby timber shops and engulfed the entire market near the Maymar Mor area.

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We also found some video YouTube video reports of the incident, where we found multiple similar objects and visuals matching the viral video. 

Taking account of all these evidences, we can understand that a fire at a market in Karachi, Pakistan is being shared as footage from the recent Jaffar Express hijacking by BLA insurgents.

Conclusion

Fact Crescendo found that the claim made along with the viral video to be Misleading. The viral video shows a fire at a market in Karachi, Pakistan and it is not related to the recent train hijack incident.