A bomb blast at a train station in Quetta, southwestern Pakistan, has killed at least 24 people and injured more than 50. The explosion struck as nearly 100 passengers were waiting to board a train to Rawalpindi. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group, has claimed responsibility, stating that a suicide bomber targeted military personnel stationed at the site.
Government spokesman Shahid Rind indicated the attack appeared to be a suicide bombing, although officials are still investigating the BLA’s claim. Footage from the scene shows extensive damage, with the roof of the platform’s steel structure blown apart, a tea stall destroyed, and luggage scattered across the area.
Police reported that about a dozen security personnel were among those killed. Mouzzam Jah Ansari, Balochistan’s inspector general of police, noted that many of the injured are in critical condition. He confirmed that army personnel from the Infantry School were the primary target.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed that those behind the attack “will pay a very heavy price” and reaffirmed security forces’ commitment to eliminating terrorism.
The BLA, banned in Pakistan, has waged a longstanding insurgency seeking independence from Islamabad. Last month, the group claimed responsibility for another suicide bombing that killed two people near Karachi airport, and in August, attacks by separatist militants in Balochistan killed at least 73 people.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province, is rich in oil and minerals but sparsely populated. It has been a hotspot for separatist and Islamic militant activities, with members of the ethnic Baloch community frequently voicing concerns of discrimination and exploitation by the central government.