At least 14 martyred in blast near railway track in Quetta, says Balochistan govt

At least 14 martyred in blast near railway track in Quetta, says Balochistan govt
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Summary Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, saying such acts of terrorism could not weaken the nation’s resolve against militancy.

QUETTA (Dunya News) - At least 14 people were martyred and several others injured after a powerful explosion targeted a shuttle train near Chaman Phatak in Quetta on Sunday morning, according to the Balochistan government.

Officials said the shuttle train was travelling from Quetta Cantonment to the railway station when the blast occurred shortly after 8am. The exact nature of the explosion has not yet been determined.

Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said the death toll had risen to 14. He added that multiple injured passengers, including women and children, were shifted to hospitals for treatment.

Authorities said the blast derailed three train coaches, including the locomotive, while two bogies overturned. Several nearby vehicles were also engulfed in flames, and surrounding buildings sustained damage due to the intensity of the explosion.

Security forces, police, the Counter Terrorism Department, and bomb disposal teams cordoned off the area and launched rescue and investigation operations. Rescue trucks and a relief train were also dispatched to assist at the scene.

A medical emergency was declared in government hospitals across Quetta, with doctors, paramedics, and other medical staff called in for emergency duty.

Railway authorities said the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express was stopped at Quetta Railway Station after the blast as a precautionary measure.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, saying such acts of terrorism could not weaken the nation’s resolve against militancy. He expressed condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for the recovery of the injured.

CM Balochistan Sarfraz Bugti also condemned the attack and vowed that those involved, along with their facilitators, would be brought to justice.

Meanwhile, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi also condemned the “cowardly act of terrorism”, saying such attacks would not weaken the nation’s resolve against militancy.

In a statement, the railways minister said that anti-Pakistan elements operating from India and Afghanistan were involved in sponsoring terrorism aimed at destabilising the country.

He directed the relevant authorities to submit an immediate report on the incident and reaffirmed that Pakistan Railways operations would continue uninterrupted despite the attack.

Abbasi further said hostile forces were attempting to spread unrest and fear in Pakistan through such incidents.

Describing terrorists as “enemies of humanity”, he vowed that those involved would be brought to justice and said terrorist networks operating from India and Afghanistan would not be allowed to succeed in their designs against Pakistan.