At least 26 people were killed and 62 others injured in a suicide attack at Quetta railway station on Saturday, as reported by Dawn.
Social media footage has emerged showing the exact instant of the explosion at the railway station in Pakistan's Balochistan province. The blast reportedly took place at the station’s booking office, which generally sees a massive crowd, resulting in the high death toll so far.
The explosion ripped through the station just as passengers were gathering for the 9 am Jaffar Express to Peshawar.
Quetta Division Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat told Dawn that the blast was a “suicide attack” primarily on law enforcement agencies, while civilians were also targeted. Speaking to Geo News, he said that besides civilians, “some law enforcement” personnel were also martyred.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a banned militant group, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind, in a statement, said police and security forces had reached the site of the incident. A report on the incident has been requested, and the Bomb Disposal Squad is currently collecting evidence from the site, as per Rind.
Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in Pakistan have experienced a sharp increase in terrorism-related incidents over the past year.
The latest attack comes on the heels of a deadly blast in Balochistan's Mastung district last week that killed eight people, including five children, near a girls' school and a hospital.
Speaking on the blast, Balochistan's chief minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the incident, saying it was a "continuation of targeting innocent people".
In a statement, Bugti said, "The terrorists' target now are innocent people, labourers, children and women. Those targeting innocent people do not deserve mercy", Dawn reported.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
