A suicide bomber killed at least 25 people and injured over 50 others in a devastating explosion at a railway station in Balochistan, Pakistan, on Saturday. The blast struck around 8:45 a.m. local time as nearly 100 passengers waited on the platform for the Jaffar Express train to Peshawar, departing from Quetta, the provincial capital.
The explosion ripped through the platform, tearing apart its steel roof and leaving a trail of bloodied clothes and belongings scattered across the scene. Fourteen soldiers, five civilians, and six railway workers were killed. Among the injured, six are in critical condition, with three in intensive care.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an armed separatist group seeking independence from Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that soldiers were the intended targets. In response, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the BLA, warning that the group “will pay a very heavy price” and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to eradicating terrorism.
Muhammad Hamza Shafqaat, Commissioner of the Quetta Division, confirmed the bombing was a suicide attack and called for train services to be suspended. He urged residents to avoid the station due to the risk of potential secondary attacks, adding, “Gatherings have been banned, and we are conducting intensive security checks across the city.”
Balochistan, a resource-rich but impoverished province bordering Afghanistan and Iran, has seen frequent attacks by separatist groups, including the BLA. The group accuses the Pakistani government of exploiting its natural resources without benefiting local residents. This year, attacks in the region have escalated, including an August BLA assault that killed 39 people.
The security situation has deteriorated further in recent weeks, with another deadly bombing near a school and hospital in Balochistan’s Mastung district that killed eight people, including five children. Train services between Quetta and Peshawar were only recently restored after being halted due to a BLA attack that destroyed a key railway bridge.
Security forces are investigating the Quetta station bombing, and heightened security measures are now in place. As violence continues to surge in Balochistan, many residents and journalists are shocked by this attack at the heart of Quetta. Local journalist Saadullah Akhter, who witnessed the aftermath, told Al Jazeera, “This is the first time the centre of Quetta has been targeted, and it is very shocking to many people.”