Balochistan Train Blast Kills 20 Military Personnel Near Quetta Station
At least 20 individuals have been killed and 70 others wounded following an explosion that targeted a train transporting military personnel in Pakistan. The incident occurred on Sunday morning at Chaman Phatak station in Quetta, the capital of the western Balochistan region.
Railway officials reported that the blast derailed three coaches and the engine, overturning two others. The shuttle service was primarily transporting service personnel and their families who were travelling home for Eid.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) separatist group claimed responsibility for the attack, asserting it was a suicide bombing. This claim has not been corroborated by Pakistani authorities.
Images from the scene depict burnt and mangled train carriages, damaged nearby vehicles, and structural damage to an adjacent building. A local resident, Naseer Ahmed, described the impact, stating, “The train was moving and there were passengers on board when the explosion occurred.” He added that his family had been asleep, and the blast shattered all their windows.
Police and civil administration officials in Balochistan confirmed the death toll, expressing concern that it could increase. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, stating, “Such cowardly acts of terrorism cannot weaken the resolve of the people of Pakistan.” He emphasised the nation’s solidarity with the people of Balochistan, and an emergency has been declared in hospitals treating the victims.
The train’s occupants were en route to Quetta’s main railway station from a nearby military encampment, intending to travel onwards to Peshawar and their home towns for the holiday.
This is not an isolated incident; the BLA has previously targeted trains in Balochistan. In the past two years, the Jaffar Express has faced multiple attacks from the armed group. Militants also hijacked a train and took passengers hostage in March 2025 while it was travelling to Peshawar.
The BLA asserts that Pakistan’s federal government exploits the rich mineral resources of Balochistan, the country's largest province, without the local population receiving equitable benefits. Balochistan accounts for nearly 44% of Pakistan’s landmass, sharing volatile borders with Iran and Afghanistan, and includes a portion of the Arabian Sea coastline. The province is home to approximately 5% of Pakistan’s population of over 240 million people. Violence between BLA fighters and Pakistani security forces erupted in Quetta and the wider region in early February, resulting in the deaths of 31 civilians.
