Quetta, May 24, 2026: At least 14 people, including three personnel of the Frontier Corps, were martyred and several others injured in a powerful blast near the railway track close to Chaman Phatak in Quetta on Sunday, according to the Government of Balochistan.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said several women and children were among the injured and had been shifted to hospitals for medical treatment.
He said terrorists targeted unarmed civilians in the attack, adding that assaults on public places reflected the desperation of militant elements. Security forces cordoned off the area immediately after the explosion, while authorities launched evidence collection and investigation efforts.
Following the incident, an emergency was declared in government hospitals across Quetta, with doctors and medical staff called in to deal with the situation.
Railway authorities said the Jaffar Express, which was bound for Peshawar, was stopped at Quetta Railway Station as a precautionary measure after the blast.
Spokesperson to the provincial home minister Babar Yousafzai said all relevant institutions had been placed on high alert following the explosion. He urged citizens to avoid gathering near the blast site to ensure public safety and allow rescue teams to conduct operations without obstruction.
Later, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi arrived in Quetta and jointly chaired a high-level meeting with Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, according to a statement issued by the interior ministry. During the meeting, the provincial police chief briefed participants on the initial findings of the investigation.
Leadership condemns attack
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the “heinous” attack, stating that such acts of terrorism were aimed at harming the people of Pakistan and diverting attention from the country’s efforts for global peace.
President Zardari said hostile elements were attempting to undermine initiatives serving humanitarian objectives, peace, and progress, adding that Pakistan would defeat terrorists, their facilitators, financiers, and those providing them safe havens.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said such cowardly acts could not weaken the resolve of the Pakistani nation and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. He also expressed condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.
Meanwhile, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi condemned the blast and alleged that elements based in India and Afghanistan were involved in sponsoring terrorism. He vowed that terrorist networks would never succeed in their designs against Pakistan.
The minister further stated that the explosion caused the derailment of the train engine and three coaches, and directed railway authorities to submit an immediate report on the incident.
