Explosion at Railway Station in Pakistan’s Balochistan Province Claims 17 Lives, Injures Dozens

An explosion rocked the Quetta railway station in Pakistan’s Balochistan province early Saturday, killing at least 17 people and injuring dozens more, police and medical officials reported. The blast occurred around 8:45 am (0345 GMT) as passengers waited on a platform, according to Inspector General Moazzam Jah Ansari, who warned that the death toll could rise further.

In the aftermath, 46 injured individuals were rushed to a local hospital, where medical teams are working to treat the wounded. Hospital spokespersons confirmed the severity of the blast, noting that emergency responders are on alert as casualty numbers continue to rise.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest and least developed province, shares borders with Afghanistan and Iran and has long faced instability fueled by separatist violence. The province, rich in resources, is frequently targeted by militant groups who accuse the government and foreign investors of exploiting local resources while leaving residents with few benefits.

Militant groups like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) have claimed responsibility for numerous attacks in the past, often targeting security forces or workers from other provinces, especially Punjabis. In August, the BLA carried out coordinated strikes that killed at least 39 people, one of the deadliest recent attacks in the region. Security remains heightened as authorities continue investigating Saturday’s explosion amid rising tensions in the province.