Blast at Pakistan Railway Station Kills 24, Moment Captured on CCTV

Photo : AP

A suspected suicide bombing carried out by an ethnic militant group rocked Quetta's main railway station in Pakistan's Balochistan province this morning, resulting in the deaths of at least 24 people and leaving 46 others injured. The attack occurred just as the Jaffer Express, a train bound for Peshawar, was preparing to depart. Eyewitnesses and CCTV footage showed dozens of passengers gathered on the platform when the explosion occurred, scattering bodies across the station and causing severe damage, including the destruction of the station's roof.

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The explosion reportedly took place near the railway station's booking office. Local authorities believe the blast was a suicide attack, though investigations are ongoing. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist ethnic militant group operating in the region, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group has been behind several violent incidents in Balochistan, which has long been a hotspot for insurgent activity.

Following the blast, law enforcement and rescue teams rushed to secure the area and transported the wounded to Quetta's civil hospital. Provincial government spokesperson Shahid Rind confirmed that at least 46 people were injured in the attack. The hospital declared an emergency, mobilizing additional medical staff to handle the influx of casualties.

Mouzzam Jah Ansari, the Inspector General of Police for Balochistan, stated that the attack appeared to target military personnel from the Infantry School, a nearby military facility. According to him, the explosion resulted in 24 confirmed fatalities.

This attack is part of a broader wave of violence in Balochistan, a region that has been plagued by rising tensions and militant insurgency. The province has witnessed multiple attacks in recent months, including a series of assaults on police stations and highway checkpoints that have claimed dozens of lives. The government of Pakistan has been under growing pressure to address the rising violence and instability in Balochistan, which continues to see increasing attacks by ethnic militant groups like the BLA.

The blast also raises concerns about the security situation in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, which has historically been a source of separatist movements calling for greater autonomy or independence.