Pakistan Military Train Blast in Quetta Kills 24, Injures Dozens

A powerful explosion targeting a train carrying Pakistani military personnel and their families killed at least 24 people and injured more than 70 in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s Balochistan province, on Sunday.

Officials said the blast occurred near the Chaman Phatak area shortly after the train departed from the city’s military cantonment. Several coaches derailed following the explosion, while fire and heavy smoke spread through parts of the train.

Emergency teams, soldiers, and local volunteers rushed to the scene to rescue passengers and transport the injured to nearby hospitals. Authorities confirmed that both security personnel and civilians were among the casualties.

The separatist militant group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as a suicide bombing. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incident and vowed continued action against militant groups operating in the region.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but most unstable province, has seen a rise in attacks targeting security forces, rail infrastructure, and government installations in recent years. The latest Pakistan military train blast comes more than a year after the high-profile Jaffar Express hijacking, which intensified security concerns across the province.

No senior military officer has yet been officially confirmed among the dead, while investigations into the attack remain ongoing.