Blast Hits Military Train in Quetta, Pakistan, Killing 24

At least 24 people were killed on Sunday after a blast hit a train carrying military personnel in Pakistan’s turbulent southwestern province of Balochistan, a senior official said.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the blast near Chaman Phatak, Quetta, saying it had resulted in the “tragic loss of innocent lives and left many others injured”.

The attack took place in Quetta, the provincial capital, and left more than 50 people injured. Army servicemen were among the victims, the official told AFP.

Images from the scene showed a mangled train carriage lying on its side as people climbed over the wreckage in search of survivors. Others were seen carrying blood-soaked victims on stretchers away from derailed coaches, while armed security forces secured the area.

The official said the train was carrying army personnel and their family members from Quetta to Peshawar in the country’s northwest. It was passing a signal at Chaman Pattak in Quetta “when an explosive-laden car hit one of the carriages that resulted in a big blast”, the official said.

The explosion blew out windows and destroyed nearby vehicles.

Another official told AFP that the personnel were travelling to celebrate the Eid holiday, which is due to begin on Tuesday.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area and its poorest in terms of development, lags behind the rest of the country across key indicators including education, employment, and economic growth.

Baloch separatist groups have long accused the federal government of exploiting the province’s natural gas and mineral wealth without sharing benefits with the local population.