BLA claims responsibility for attack Three FC men among victims as explosion derails engine, three bogies near Chaman Phatak” Emergency declared in Quetta hospitals President, PM, CM condemn attack.
Quetta – At least 24 people were killed and around 70 injured after a powerful bomb blast struck a shuttle train carrying security personnel and their families near Chaman Phatak in Quetta on Sunday, Reuters reported quoting officials as saying seeking anonymity.
However, local media reported the death toll at 14. According to provincial government and security officials, the explosion occurred at around 8:15am when the train was travelling from Quetta Cantonment to connect with the Jaffar Express. The blast derailed the engine and three bogies, while two coaches overturned. The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as a suicide bombing. Authorities said the explosion targeted a train carrying civilians as well as Frontier Corps (FC) personnel.
Hours after the blast, the provincial government said in a statement it was confirming with “profound grief and deep concern” that a train shuttle service near Chaman Phatak in Quetta was targeted in a vehicle-borne suicide bombing.
“This cowardly act of terrorism is not only an attack on innocent human lives but also a heinous attempt to undermine peace, stability, and normal civic life in Balochistan,” the statement said.
Citing initial reports, it added that “14 people embraced martyrdom while 20 others sustained injuries, including women and children”.
“Among the martyrs were three personnel of the Frontier Corps, while the majority of victims were civilians, including pedestrians, passengers, bystanders, and residents living in houses adjacent to the blast site.
“Tragically, an entire family of four — father, mother, son, and daughter — lost their lives in this heartbreaking incident, leaving the entire province in mourning.”
According to the statement, the provincial government initiated emergency response measures “immediately after the incident”.
Meanwhile, an “emergency has been declared in all major government hospitals in Quetta, while doctors, paramedical staff, and medical personnel has been called in on an urgent basis”.
“All possible medical assistance and the best available treatment are being provided to the injured,” the statement.
It further stated: “In view of prevailing security concerns, Section 144 was already in force in the area, under which law enforcement agencies had been deployed to maintain security and preventive measures.
“Following the blast, the district administration established a central control room at the office of the Quetta deputy commissioner to ensure effective coordination, monitoring, and facilitation of relief operations. In addition, a dedicated monitoring and coordination cell has been activated at the Home Department.”
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed that at least 14 people, including three FC personnel, embraced martyrdom, while several others sustained critical injuries.
“The deliberate targeting of civilians, including women and children, reflects the cowardly nature of anti-state terrorist elements,” the military’s media wing stated.
Police officials said an explosives-laden vehicle rammed into one of the train bogies in a residential area near the railway track, causing severe destruction. Several nearby vehicles caught fire, while windows of residential flats and buildings were shattered due to the intensity of the blast.
Among the victims were a husband, wife and their 13-year-old daughter residing in a nearby apartment.
Rescue teams, fire brigade officials and security personnel rushed to the scene and shifted the injured to Civil Hospital, BMC and other trauma centres, where emergency was declared.
Following the attack, security forces cordoned off the area, launched a search operation and tightened checking at entry and exit points of the city. Railway services on the affected track were suspended as heavy machinery continued clearance work to restore operations.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Quetta and chaired a high-level meeting with Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti. The meeting reviewed the initial investigation report and condemned the attack.
CM Bugti said the government stood with the families of the martyrs and assured that the injured were receiving the best possible medical treatment.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack and reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate terrorism.
“The blood of the martyrs will not go in vain,” President Zardari said, vowing decisive action against terrorists, their facilitators and financiers.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed the attack a “heinous act of terrorism” and said such cowardly acts could not weaken the resolve of the nation.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also condemned the attack and paid tribute to rescue workers, police and health personnel for their timely response.
