Deadly Suicide Bombing Targets Passenger Train In Quetta, Killing Dozens

A powerful suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) struck a passenger train in Quetta on Sunday morning, killing at least 24 people and injuring more than 80 others in one of the deadliest attacks in the restive Balochistan province this year. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the assault.

Attack Details and Casualties

The explosion occurred around 8:05 a.m. local time near Chaman Phatak shortly after the Jaffar Express shuttle departed from the Quetta Cantonment area. The train was carrying law enforcement personnel and their families returning home for the upcoming Eid holidays. Preliminary investigations suggest the SVBIED was packed with more than 70 kilograms of explosives. The blast was so powerful that it derailed multiple bogies, with two catching fire, and also damaged nearby vehicles and shattered the windows of surrounding buildings.

Officials confirmed that women and children were among the victims, with 57 of the injured shifted to a military hospital and 25 to Civil Hospital in Quetta.

BLA Claims Responsibility

The Baloch Liberation Army, a separatist group, claimed responsibility for what it termed a "highly organised fidayee attack". Jeeyand Baloch, a spokesperson for the group, stated that the attack specifically targeted a train transporting personnel of the "occupying forces" from Quetta Cantt. The BLA has long been fighting for the independence of Balochistan, a resource-rich region that is also a key route for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The group accuses the Pakistani government of exploiting the province's resources without benefiting the local population.

Emergency Response and Condemnation

Following the blast, authorities declared an emergency in government hospitals across Quetta, summoning all medical staff to handle the influx of casualties. Babar Yousafzai, a special assistant in the provincial home department, confirmed that security forces and rescue teams were quickly deployed as investigations began.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the incident, expressing grief over the "tragic loss of innocent lives". Officials have placed all relevant institutions on high alert following the attack.