An explosion rocked Quetta’s railway station on Saturday morning, killing at least 23 people and injuring at least 57 others. The blast occurred as passengers were preparing to board trains, with officials fearing the death toll could rise further.
The explosion struck near the ticket booth just as two trains, including the Jafar Express bound for Peshawar, were scheduled to depart. A large crowd of passengers was on the platform at the time.
Rescue and security teams responded quickly to the scene, transporting the dead and injured to Quetta’s Civil Hospital for treatment. Several of the injured were also taken to the trauma center. Authorities declared a state of emergency at the hospital, with doctors and paramedics called in to assist.
SSP (Operations) Muhammad Baloch confirmed that the explosion occurred amid heavy passenger traffic and stated that the nature of the blast was still being investigated. He suggested it could be a suicide bombing.
Security forces have cordoned off the area, and an inquiry is underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion. Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for the provincial government, said that police and security teams had arrived at the scene, and a full report was being prepared. He added that emergency services had been activated at local hospitals and that the extent of the damage was still being assessed.
