QUETTA (MNN); At least 14 people were killed and several others injured after a powerful explosion struck a shuttle train in Quetta on Sunday morning, according to the Balochistan government.
Officials said the train was travelling from Quetta Cantonment to the railway station when it was targeted near Chaman Phatak shortly after 8am. Balochistan Chief Minister’s media aide Shahid Rind confirmed that the death toll had risen to 14, including three Frontier Corps personnel.
Several passengers, including women and children, were injured in the blast and shifted to nearby hospitals. Authorities said security forces immediately cordoned off the area while police, the Counter-Terrorism Department and bomb disposal teams launched an investigation.
Pakistan Railways dispatched rescue vehicles and a relief train to assist in the emergency response. The explosion derailed three coaches, including the locomotive, while two carriages overturned. Nearby buildings were also damaged, and multiple vehicles caught fire following the blast.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as residents rushed out after hearing the loud explosion. Videos from the scene showed damaged train coaches, charred vehicles, smoke rising from the area, and rescue teams carrying injured passengers to ambulances.
A medical emergency was declared across Quetta hospitals, with doctors and medical staff called in to handle the casualties. Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti personally monitored the rescue operation and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi later arrived in Quetta and chaired a meeting with Chief Minister Bugti to review the situation. Officials strongly condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the families of those killed.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the bombing, calling it a cowardly act of terrorism and reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to eliminating terrorism. Both leaders expressed solidarity with the people of Balochistan and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi also condemned the attack and directed authorities to submit an immediate report. He said railway operations would continue despite the incident.
The Chinese and Russian embassies in Pakistan also condemned the blast, expressing condolences to the victims’ families and support for Pakistan’s efforts against terrorism.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan voiced deep concern over the worsening security situation in Balochistan, warning that civilians, workers and law enforcement personnel were increasingly vulnerable to violence and attacks across the province.
