An explosion near a passenger train resulted in the deaths of at least 14 people in southwestern Pakistan on Sunday. Local officials reported that the blast occurred in Balochistan Province, a region close to Afghanistan’s border known for ongoing separatist insurgencies.
The bomb detonated around 8 a.m. near a railway crossing as a shuttle train, carrying dozens of passengers, traveled towards Quetta’s main railway station. This powerful explosion derailed the locomotive and overturned at least two of the coaches, according to Pakistan’s railway minister, Muhammad Hanif Abbasi.
The train is widely used, particularly by passengers from nearby military bases, and serves as a key connector with the Jaffer Express, linking Quetta with major cities in Pakistan. It is believed that many of those on board were traveling to visit family for the upcoming Eid al-Adha celebrations.
Shahid Rind, a representative of Balochistan’s provincial government, confirmed 14 fatalities. Meanwhile, a police officer and a health department official in Quetta, speaking unofficially, stated that more than 20 bodies, including women and children, were taken to a hospital. Over three dozen individuals sustained injuries.
Preliminary investigations imply that the bombing may have involved a suicide attacker, although the bomb disposal squad has not yet concluded its assessment.
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