Deadly Suicide Bombing Targets Passenger Train In Quetta Killing Dozens

A deadly suicide bombing targeted a passenger train near Quetta in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, killing at least 24 people and injuring more than 70 others, according to local officials and rescue authorities. The powerful explosion happened near the Chaman Phatak railway crossing when a passenger train carrying security personnel and their families was passing through the area. Officials said the blast caused major destruction, overturned train coaches, and triggered panic among passengers and nearby residents.

According to police and railway officials, the attacker used an explosives-filled vehicle that detonated close to the moving train. The force of the explosion derailed several coaches, while at least two train cars overturned and caught fire. Thick black smoke was seen rising from the damaged train as rescue workers and local residents rushed to help injured passengers trapped inside the coaches. Videos shared on social media showed chaotic scenes, damaged railway tracks, and emergency teams carrying wounded people away from the blast site.

Officials confirmed that many of the victims were members of Pakistan’s security forces and their family members who were travelling ahead of the Eid holidays. Several civilians living near the railway line were also injured after the blast damaged nearby homes, shops, and parked vehicles. Authorities declared an emergency in hospitals across Quetta, where doctors and medical staff were called in to treat the large number of injured victims. Some of the wounded were reported to be in critical condition.

The banned separatist group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement shared online, the group said the bombing targeted security personnel travelling on the train. Pakistani officials described the incident as a suicide attack, although investigations are still continuing to confirm all details related to the bomber and possible support networks behind the attack. Security forces sealed off the area and launched a search operation soon after the explosion.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the bombing and called it a “cowardly act of terrorism.” President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed condolences to the families of the victims and ordered authorities to provide the best medical treatment to those injured in the attack. Government officials said Pakistan would continue operations against militant and separatist groups responsible for violence in the country.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province, has faced insurgency and militant violence for many years. Separatist groups in the region have frequently targeted security forces, railway lines, government buildings, and infrastructure projects. Security experts say attacks in the province have increased in recent months, raising concerns about public safety and stability in the region. The latest bombing is being seen as one of the deadliest attacks on railway transport in Pakistan in recent years.