Quetta: A powerful explosion targeted a train carrying soldiers and their families on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province in southwestern Pakistan, today, killing at least 24 people and injuring more than 60 others. A separatist rebel group in the area claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to Thai News Agency, the explosion occurred late this morning local time as a train en route to Peshawar was passing through the signal lights at Chaman Patak railway station, heading towards a military base. An assailant drove a car loaded with over 35 kilograms of explosives into one of the train carriages, causing a fire and a loud explosion. The blast caused the train carriages to derail and were severely damaged. In addition, more than 10 civilian vehicles parked nearby were damaged, and windows in nearby buildings and houses were shattered. Reports indicate at least 24 deaths and over 60 injuries.
Security sources confirmed that most of the passengers on the train were Pakistani army personnel and their family members, including children, traveling back to their hometowns to celebrate the upcoming Eid al-Fitr festival this week.
Following the incident, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) separatist group claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that one of their fighters committed suicide by driving a car bomb into a train. Local authorities declared a state of emergency at all public hospitals in Quetta and mobilized doctors and nurses to urgently treat the injured, many of whom were in critical condition, as the death toll was expected to rise.
Security officials and forensic teams have cordoned off the area to collect evidence and conduct a thorough investigation of the scene. Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack strongly in a post on the X platform and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
Balochistan Province is rich in oil and mineral resources, yet it is one of the poorest areas in the country. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) separatist group frequently attacks infrastructure and government officials, accusing the Pakistani central government of exploiting local resources without benefiting the local population.