At least 24 people were killed and nearly 70 injured after a powerful explosion targeted a train carrying military personnel in Balochistan province on Sunday morning, according to officials and local media reports.
The blast occurred shortly after 8am near the Chaman Phatak area of Quetta as the train was travelling from a military zone toward the city’s main railway station.
Authorities said the explosion caused severe damage to the railway track and partially damaged the train. Three coaches, including the locomotive, were derailed while two overturned following the blast.
The impact of the explosion was reportedly heard across Quetta and shattered windows and glass panels in nearby buildings. Several vehicles parked near the scene caught fire, with at least 10 vehicles damaged in the blast. Material damage was also reported in surrounding homes and buildings.
Emergency rescue teams, firefighters and security forces rushed to the scene soon after the attack, cordoning off the area and launching rescue and recovery operations. Firefighters worked to contain flames that spread to nearby vehicles after the explosion.
Authorities later declared an emergency in government hospitals across Quetta, with doctors and medical staff placed on high alert to treat the large number of injured victims.
The separatist militant group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the group said its Majeed Brigade, described as its suicide attack wing, had targeted security personnel travelling from Quetta Cantonment in what it called a “well-planned fidayee attack”.
The group said further details regarding casualties and damage would be released later.
Following the attack, the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express was halted at Quetta Railway Station as a precautionary measure.
Pakistan Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi condemned the bombing, describing it as a cowardly act of terrorism aimed at spreading fear and chaos in the country.
Abbasi alleged that anti-Pakistan elements based in India and Afghanistan were involved in attempts to destabilize Pakistan through such attacks. He said railway operations would continue despite the incident and vowed that those responsible would face justice.
Babar Yousafzai, spokesperson for Pakistan’s interior ministry, said all relevant institutions had been placed on high alert following the explosion. He urged residents to avoid gathering near the blast site to allow emergency teams to carry out rescue operations safely.
Counter-terrorism teams and explosives experts later arrived at the scene to begin technical investigations into the nature of the explosive device and identify those responsible.
The bombing is one of the deadliest incidents reported in Balochistan in recent months. The province has long faced insurgent violence, with separatist groups frequently targeting security forces, transport infrastructure and government installations.
