Karachi, May 24: At least 20 people were killed and nearly 70 injured after a powerful explosion ripped through a shuttle train in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Sunday, authorities said.
The shuttle train was heading from Quetta Cantonment to the railway station when it was targeted near Chaman Phatak, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
Pakistan’s Railways Minister, Hanif Abbasi, confirmed the explosion and said there were passengers on the shuttle train and the explosion had hit the engine and three bogies.
“The train was going from Quetta Cantt station to the City Railway station when the explosion took place this morning,” Abbasi said.
Pakistani TV channels and websites reported that at least 20 people have been killed and 70 injured in the explosion.
The banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the blast.
According to a claim by a BLA spokesperson, the attack was carried out as the train was transporting military personnel from Quetta Cantt.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the explosion and said that “such cowardly acts of terrorism cannot weaken the resolve of the people of Pakistan”.
“I strongly condemn the heinous bomb explosion near Chaman Phatak, Quetta, which has resulted in the tragic loss of innocent lives and left many others injured,” Sharif posted on X.
“Such cowardly acts of terrorism cannot weaken the resolve of the people of Pakistan. We remain steadfast in our determination to eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. I express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and pray for the swift recovery of the injured. The entire nation stands in solidarity with the people of Balochistan in this hour of grief,” he said in a post.
A senior police official speaking on condition of anonymity from Quetta said they had been instructed not to give public statements, and the government spokesperson would make the official statement on the incident while confirming the number of deaths and injuries.
“From what we know, there are around 18-20 casualties, and dozens were injured in the explosion,” he said.
The noise and impact of the explosion were so loud that the glass of nearby vehicles and buildings was shattered.
The train was carrying passengers to the City Railway Station from where they were scheduled to catch connecting trains to their hometowns for the Eid Holidays.
In November 2024, at least 32 people were killed and scores were injured when a suicide bomber hit the Quetta Cantt Railway Station.
Railway authorities said the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express was stopped at Quetta Railway Station after the blast as a precautionary measure, Geo News reported.
Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi condemned the attack as a cowardly act of terrorism, adding that it would not weaken the nation’s resolve against militancy.
He said hostile forces were involved in malicious activities aimed at spreading unrest and fear in Pakistan.
Slamming terrorists as “enemies of humanity”, the minister asserted they would be “brought to a disgraceful end”.
Babar Yousafzai, the spokesperson to the home minister, said that all relevant institutions have been placed on high alert following an explosion in the city.
He urged the public not to gather near the blast site to ensure safety and allow emergency teams to carry out rescue operations without obstruction. (PTI)
