New CCTV footage has surfaced showing a man intentionally setting fire to an ATM on Chand Bibi Road in Karachi, challenging the initial police explanation that the July 19 explosion was caused by a technical malfunction.
The video, released on Wednesday, captures the suspect entering the ATM booth of a private bank near Civil Hospital in Karachi’s Old City. He is seen pouring what appears to be petrol inside the machine and making several attempts to ignite it. While the first two tries fail, the third attempt results in a sudden blaze that engulfs the entire ATM, consistent with the explosion’s intensity described in earlier police reports. The individual then flees the scene and remains unidentified.
Initially, authorities had attributed the incident to a technical fault that caused a fire inside the ATM, which split the machine into two parts and shattered its glass. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. Bank staff and officials arrived promptly after the blast, secured the area, gathered evidence, and registered a First Information Report (FIR) on July 20 following the bank’s complaint.
In light of the new footage, police have reopened their investigation and are reviewing CCTV recordings from the vicinity to identify and apprehend the suspect. No arrests have been made yet, and officials have stated that a formal announcement regarding the suspect’s identity will be made only after the investigation concludes.
