TL;DR:
- A suicide bombing at Quetta Railway Station in Pakistan killed at least 25 people and injured over 40 others, including soldiers and civilians.
- The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attack, targeting military personnel at the station.
- The explosion occurred while nearly 100 passengers were waiting for a train to Peshawar, causing significant destruction at the platform.
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, vowing to eliminate terrorism and ensure justice for the victims.
QUETTA, Pakistan — A devastating suicide bombing at a crowded railway station in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, claimed the lives of at least 25 people and left more than 40 others injured on Saturday morning. The attack, which occurred around 8:45 a.m. local time (03:45 GMT), targeted military personnel stationed at the platform as nearly 100 passengers awaited a train bound for Peshawar.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police Muhammad Baloch, the dead included 14 soldiers, five civilians, and six railway employees. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, quickly claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, the BLA confirmed that a suicide bomber had specifically targeted troops present at the station.
The bombing is part of an ongoing insurgency in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but poorest province, which has long been plagued by violence from separatist groups. These groups, including the BLA, accuse the central government of exploiting the region’s rich natural resources—particularly gas and minerals—without benefiting the local population. The province borders Afghanistan and Iran and has been a frequent site of deadly attacks.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos in the aftermath of the explosion. Broadcast footage showed bloodied clothing and personal belongings scattered across the platform, with parts of the steel roof blown apart and a nearby tea stall destroyed. Security forces cordoned off the area as they searched for evidence and assessed the intensity of the blast.
Journalist Saadullah Akhter, who witnessed the aftermath, told Al Jazeera that “since the beginning of 2024, we’ve really seen a surge of violence in Balochistan. So many attacks on security forces. But this is the first time that the center of Quetta has been targeted and it is very shocking to many people.”
The bombing follows a series of recent attacks in Balochistan. In August, coordinated assaults by militants killed at least 39 people, while in October, armed assailants killed 20 miners in Dukki district. The BLA has also targeted infrastructure projects funded by foreign entities, particularly China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), accusing outsiders of exploiting local resources while excluding residents from economic benefits.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned Saturday’s attack in strong terms, stating that those responsible “will pay a very heavy price for it,” and reaffirmed that security forces are determined to eliminate “the menace of terrorism.” The government has been engaged in military operations against separatist groups in Balochistan for years; however, these efforts have been criticized for resulting in widespread human rights abuses against Baloch dissenters.
Provincial government spokesman Shahid Rind confirmed that initial investigations suggest it was indeed a suicide attack but noted that authorities are still working to verify details. An emergency was declared at hospitals across Quetta to treat those injured in the blast.
The BLA’s insurgency has long sought independence from Islamabad. Designated as a terrorist organization by Pakistan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, it remains one of several ethnic insurgent groups fighting against what they perceive as exploitation and marginalization by Pakistan’s central government.
As rescue operations continue and investigations unfold, Pakistan faces renewed challenges in curbing violence in its volatile southwestern region.
Source: Aljazeera
