Explosion Targets Military Train in Quetta
At least 20 people have died and 70 others sustained injuries following an explosion targeting a train carrying military personnel in Pakistan.
The blast took place on Sunday morning as the train was passing through Chaman Phatak station in Quetta, the capital city of the western Balochistan province.
Railway officials informed BBC Urdu that the explosion caused derailment of three coaches and the engine, with two additional coaches overturning. The shuttle service was primarily transporting service members and their families returning home for the Eid holiday.
Responsibility and Damage
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as a suicide bombing. However, Pakistani authorities have not yet confirmed this claim.
Photographs from the scene depict burnt and mangled train carriages, damaged nearby vehicles, and bomb damage to an adjacent building.
Naseer Ahmed, a local resident, told the BBC:
"The train was moving and there were passengers on board when the explosion occurred."
He added that since it was Sunday morning, his family was asleep when the blast shattered all their windows.
Casualties and Official Response
A police officer and a civil administration official in Balochistan confirmed to BBC Urdu that 20 people had lost their lives, with concerns that the death toll might increase.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack strongly, stating:
"Such cowardly acts of terrorism cannot weaken the resolve of the people of Pakistan."
He further expressed solidarity with the affected community:
"The entire nation stands in solidarity with the people of Balochistan in this hour of grief."
Hospitals treating the victims have declared an emergency to manage the influx of injured individuals.
Details of the Train Journey and Previous Attacks
Officials reported that those aboard the train were traveling from a nearby military encampment to Quetta's main railway station. From there, they were scheduled to continue their journey to Peshawar and then to their hometowns for the holiday.
This incident is not the first time the BLA has targeted trains in Balochistan. Over the past two years, the Jaffar Express has been attacked multiple times by the armed group.
In March 2025, militants hijacked a train en route to Peshawar and took several passengers hostage.
Background on the BLA and Balochistan Region
The BLA accuses Pakistan's federal government of exploiting the mineral wealth of Balochistan, the country's largest province, without ensuring benefits for the local population.
Balochistan accounts for nearly 44% of Pakistan's land area, sharing volatile borders with Iran and Afghanistan and encompassing part of the Arabian Sea coastline. It is home to approximately 5% of Pakistan's population of over 240 million people.
Violence between BLA militants and Pakistani security forces escalated in Quetta and surrounding areas in early February, resulting in the deaths of 31 civilians.
