Bomb Blast Kills At Least 24, Injures 40 At Train Station In Quetta, Pakistan [WATCH]

At least 24 people were killed, and more than 40 others were injured following a bomb blast on Saturday at a railway station in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province in southwestern Pakistan.

The explosion took place in the early hours of the morning at the city’s usually crowded railway station and targeted military personnel, according to local authorities.

Inspector General of Police for Balochistan, Mouzzam Jah Ansari, confirmed the death toll and explained that the blast appeared to target army personnel from the Infantry School, with many of the injured reported to be in critical condition.

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Quetta Commissioner Hamza Shafqat added that among the deceased were 16 soldiers, underscoring the specific targeting of military personnel in the attack.

The separatist militant group, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), claimed responsibility for the bombing in an emailed statement to Reuters.

The BLA is one of the most prominent groups seeking independence for Balochistan, a province rich in untapped gas and mineral resources but marked by long-standing tensions over its perceived exploitation by the central government.

With an estimated population of 15 million, Balochistan borders Afghanistan to the north and Iran to the west, and it has been the site of a decades-long insurgency led by ethnic Baloch groups advocating for greater autonomy or outright independence.

Hospital spokesperson Wasim Baig reported that the Civil Hospital in Quetta received 44 injured individuals following the blast.

Senior Superintendent of Police Operations Muhammad Baloch indicated that initial investigations suggest the explosion may have been the result of a suicide bombing. “The blast took place inside the railway station when the Peshawar-bound express was about to leave for its destination,” Baloch stated, adding that a full investigation is underway.

The attack has intensified security concerns in a region already grappling with heightened separatist violence.

Just three months ago, in August, Balochistan witnessed a series of coordinated attacks by separatist militants, which resulted in at least 73 casualties.

Those attacks targeted police stations, railway lines, and highways across the province, marking one of the most widespread assaults by separatists in recent years.

The ongoing violence in Balochistan poses significant challenges for development projects in the region, including several large-scale, China-led initiatives like the Gwadar Port and a gold and copper mine.

These projects are central to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a cornerstone of China’s Belt and Road Initiative aimed at linking Gwadar Port to China’s Xinjiang region through a network of infrastructure projects.

However, such initiatives have drawn the ire of local insurgents, who argue that Balochistan’s resources are being exploited at the expense of its people.

The Baloch Liberation Army and other insurgent groups in Balochistan have long accused the central government of neglecting the province’s development while exploiting its natural resources.

In recent years, these groups have escalated their attacks on state infrastructure and personnel, a campaign intended to disrupt operations perceived to benefit external entities rather than local communities.

In response to the latest attack, Pakistani authorities have heightened security measures in and around Quetta, while urging the public to stay vigilant as investigations continue.

As the situation develops, the security landscape in Balochistan remains tense, with questions around both the safety of military personnel and civilians and the stability of critical infrastructure projects in the region.

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