At least 26 people were killed, and over 60 others were injured after a powerful explosion rocked Quetta railway station in Pakistan’s Balochistan on Saturday morning. The blast took place at the railway station’s booking office, where passengers were gathered before the departure of the Jaffar Express to Peshawar, according to reports from Dawn newspaper.
Authorities suspect that the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber. The banned militant group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the attack. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohammad Baloch confirmed the attack, and he warned that the death toll could rise as more casualties are reported. He noted that about 100 people were at the station at the time of the explosion.
The blast also caused significant damage to the station’s platform roof. In response to the attack, Pakistan’s administration has sent a letter to railway authorities requesting the suspension of train services. Emergency teams quickly arrived at the scene and secured the area. The injured and deceased were transported to Quetta’s Civil Hospital, where an emergency was declared, and additional medical staff were called in to manage the crisis.
Balochistan’s Chief Minister, Sarfraz Bugti, condemned the attack, calling it a “horrific act targeting innocent civilians” and vowed to relentlessly pursue those responsible. Bugti also emphasized that terrorists targeting civilians, including women and children, would be held accountable.
Train services between Quetta and Peshawar had resumed on October 11, following a suspension of over a month. The services had been halted after the BLA carried out another attack on the Kolapur-Mach railway bridge in late August, which was part of a series of coordinated attacks in the region.
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