QUETTA: A powerful explosion near Chaman Phatak railway track in Quetta has killed at least 14 people, including three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, and injured several others, officials confirmed.
According to police, the blast occurred on the railway track area near Chaman Phatak in Quetta and was so intense that the impact shattered windows of nearby buildings and caused panic across surrounding localities. The explosion also damaged a train and at least 10 vehicles parked in the vicinity.
Railway authorities said the Jaffar Express, scheduled to travel from Quetta to Peshawar, was stopped at Quetta railway station immediately after the incident as a precautionary measure.
Following the blast in Quetta, emergency has been declared in government hospitals, with doctors and medical staff called in to treat the injured. Rescue sources confirmed that more than 20 injured individuals were shifted to Civil Sandeman Hospital in Quetta for urgent medical care.
Authorities in Quetta said that the death toll from the explosion has risen to 14, including three FC soldiers, while several women and children are among the injured and have been moved to hospitals for treatment.
Assistant Chief Minister Balochistan Shahid Rind said the attack in Quetta targeted innocent civilians, adding that security forces have cordoned off the area and begun collecting evidence as investigations continue. He described the incident in Quetta as an act of terrorism aimed at destabilizing public safety.
Security forces remain deployed in Quetta as investigations into the blast continue.
