At least 24 people were killed and more than 50 injured after a powerful explosion targeted a train carrying military personnel near Chaman Phatak railway station in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Sunday, authorities said.The blast took place near the railway track in Quetta and caused partial damage to a train, while at least 10 vehicles parked nearby were also damaged, according to police officials.The impact of the explosion shattered windows and glass panels of nearby buildings, GeoTV reported. Several injured persons were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.According to AFP, army servicemen were among those killed in the attack in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan.The train, carrying army personnel and their family members, was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar and was en route for Eid holidays when the blast occurred.The official said the train was passing a signal at Chaman Pattak when an explosive-laden device struck one of the carriages, triggering a powerful explosion.Images and videos from the site showed a mangled train carriage lying on its side, with people climbing over wreckage in search of survivors. Several injured victims were seen being carried away on stretchers as armed security personnel cordoned off the area.Following the incident, authorities declared an emergency in government hospitals across Quetta and summoned additional doctors and medical staff to deal with the situation.Railway officials said the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express was stopped at Quetta Railway Station as a precautionary measure after the explosion.Babar Yousafzai, spokesperson for the provincial home minister, said all relevant institutions had been placed on high alert following the blast.He also urged people to avoid gathering near the site of the explosion so that rescue and emergency teams could continue operations without obstruction.Security personnel and rescue teams reached the area soon after the explosion and launched relief and investigation operations.Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but poorest province, has long faced instability and underdevelopment. The region has also seen a long-running insurgency, with separatist groups accusing the federal government of exploiting its rich natural gas and mineral resources without adequate local benefit.
