KARACHI, June 22: Panic gripped the picnickers at Clifton beach on Saturday when a phosphorus-filled cylinder of the US Navy was found stuck up in the rocks.

Senior officials of police, rangers and bomb disposal squad reached the spot at around 2:30pm after being informed by the people.

According to the deputy inspector-general (operation), Tariq Jamil, the cylinder contained white phosphorus. It was thrown off the shore while phosphorus was still burning in it and it could have caused burns, he said.

Meanwhile, sources said that the authorities took photographs of the cylinder before removing it.

They said that a precaution was inscribed on it that it might cause serious burns.

The sources said the one-foot cylinder contained 5kg white phosphorus.