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The explosion at Quetta’s railway station marks the latest incident of unrest in the restive Balochistan province, which has seen a surge in terrorist incidents.
Balochistan police said the explosion could have been a suicide blast, although an investigation is underway. (Photo: X)
At least 21 people were killed and 30 others injured in a bomb explosion near Quetta’s railway station in Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
The explosion reportedly took place at the railway station’s booking office just before the train arrived at the platform, according to Geo News. As the station is usually crowded, there is a strong possibility that the death toll could rise further.
Several of the injured are in critical condition, said officials. Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Operations Quetta Muhammad Baloch said that the explosion “seemed to be a suicide blast”, although further investigation is underway. “The blast took place inside the railway station when the Peshawar-bound express was about to leave for its destination,” said the police officer.
BREAKING: At least 22 people have been killed and scores others injured in a powerful explosion at a train station in Quetta, Balochistan province, Pakistan. Reportedly the gathering of Pakistan Army soldiers who were waiting to board the train was targeted. pic.twitter.com/cCgJsl5Je8— Baba Banaras™ (@RealBababanaras) November 9, 2024
A heartbreaking blast at Quetta Railway Station has left 5 dead and over 30 injured. The explosion occurred as passengers of the Jaffer Express, heading to Peshawar, were at the station.These terrorists have sunk so low that they now target innocent lives .No religion or… pic.twitter.com/IVmNwtfqsA
— Dukhtar-E-Balochistan🇵🇰 (@Dukhtar_B) November 9, 2024
An emergency was imposed in Quetta’s Civil Hospital and additional doctors and support staff were called in to join the duty in the crisis. Pakistan’s Acting president Yousaf Raza Gillani condemned the incident and said terrorists were enemies of humanity who targeted innocent people.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti has directed the relevant officials to investigate the fatal incident and pledged to eradicate terrorism from the province. According to a government spokesperson, Bugti summoned an emergency meeting regarding the province’s law and order situation and cancelled a foreign trip.
Terror Attacks In Balochistan
This incident took place over a week after a bombing near a girls’ school in western Pakistan killed seven people, including five children, in an attack targeting police guarding polio vaccinators, according to officials.
“The police van that came under attack was taking personnel for the protection of polio staff,” Rahmat Ullah, a senior police officer, told AFP on November 1. He added that “there is a girls’ school near the place of the attack” in the city of Mastung in Balochistan province.
Pakistan has witnessed a worrying surge in terrorist attacks in the ongoing year with fatalities in the first three quarters surpassing the numbers recorded in all of 2023. A large share of these terrorist attacks have taken place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.
Pakistan’s security forces have battled a decades-long insurgency in the southwestern province of Balochistan with the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has targeted Punjabi workers, Chinese nationals and hundreds of civilians.
(with agency inputs)
- Location :
Islamabad, Pakistan