At least 20 killed, several injured in blast at Quetta railway station

At least 21 people lost their lives and over 50 sustained injuries from a powerful blast at Quetta Railway Station early Saturday morning.

The explosion occurred on the platform as travelers assembled for the scheduled departure of the Jaffar Express to Peshawar at 9 a.m.

Authorities confirmed that the blast happened on the station’s platform, where a large crowd was present at the time.

Emergency services and law enforcement quickly arrived on the scene, securing the area and transporting both the injured and deceased to Civil Hospital Quetta.

In response to the situation, an emergency was declared at the hospital, prompting the call for additional medical staff, including doctors and paramedics, to manage the crisis.

According to the Medical Superintendent at Civil Hospital, among those affected were women and children, with 46 injured individuals brought in for urgent care.

SSP Operations Muhammad Baloch indicated that preliminary investigations suggest a potential suicide bombing, highlighting that the explosion occurred when the platform was crowded with passengers.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti denounced the attack, calling for an immediate inquiry and describing the incident as "a horrific act targeting innocent civilians."

He remarked that terrorists are increasingly focusing on ordinary people, laborers, women, and children, and pledged to relentlessly pursue those accountable for the attack.