KARACHI: At least 86 people have been injured in celebratory firing incidents in Karachi on the eve of Pakistan’s Independence Day, rescue officials said on Friday.

According to Edhi, the injured include 10 women, 17 children and 59 men. In a statement, the rescue service said 24 people, including one woman, four children and 19 men, were brought to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

It added that 35 people, including four women, three children and 28 men, were brought to Jinnah Hospital; and 26 people, including 10 children, four women and 12 men, were taken to Civil Hospital.

The statement added that one woman was shifted to a private hospital.

Firing incidents were reported in Lyari, Saddar, Korangi, Malir, Azizabad, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Gulbahar, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Orangi Town, Jamshed Quarters and Defence, it said.

Meanwhile, police in Karachi’s East district launched a crackdown against aerial firing on Independence Day and took 10 suspects into custody from various areas.

In a statement, police said weapons used for aerial firing were also recovered from the arrested suspects. The arrests were made within the jurisdictions of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Sharea Faisal, Sachal, Gulistan-i-Johar and Site Super Highway police stations, police said.

According to police in Karachi’s West district, three suspects had been arrested for aerial firing on Independence Day.

Incidents of aerial firing are a routine occurrence on occasions such as Independence Day and New Year’s Eve despite bans imposed in the past, often leaving dozens injured.

Last year, three people, including a minor girl, were killed and over 100 others wounded in celebratory gunfire across the metropolis at midnight on Independence Day.