A suicide bombing on a passenger train in southwestern Pakistan killed at least 23 people and injured more than 70 others on Saturday, according to officials and international reporting.
The blast took place in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, and derailed multiple train cars, triggering a fire and widespread panic.
The attack was later claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army, a separatist group designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States.
Train derails after explosion in busy rail corridor
Authorities said the explosion struck a passenger train traveling through Quetta, causing at least two carriages to catch fire and others to derail. Emergency responders were deployed to rescue passengers trapped in the wreckage and to transport the injured to nearby hospitals.
Local officials confirmed that the death toll rose as recovery efforts continued through the day. Security forces cordoned off the area while bomb disposal units searched for any additional explosives.
The Associated Press reported that the blast appeared to have been a suicide attack, though investigators have not publicly released full forensic findings.
Hospitals in Quetta were placed on emergency alert as medical teams treated dozens of injured passengers, many of them with critical burn injuries and trauma from the derailment.
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Government condemns attack
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing, calling it a deliberate act of violence aimed at destabilizing the region. In a statement shared through his office, he said:
“Such cowardly acts of terrorism cannot weaken the resolve of the people of Pakistan. We remain steadfast in our determination to eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. I express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and pray for the swift recovery of the injured.”
Security officials said the government has launched an investigation into how the attacker accessed the railway line and whether the bombing was coordinated with other planned assaults in the province.
The Balochistan Liberation Army said in a statement that it had targeted a train carrying Pakistani security personnel. “We targeted a passenger train carrying security forces,” the group said in its claim, according to a message shared with the Associated Press.
The group has carried out repeated attacks in Balochistan, a resource-rich but conflict-prone region where separatist movements have long opposed Islamabad’s control.
The United States formally designated the BLA as a foreign terrorist organization in August 2025, citing its history of suicide bombings and attacks on state infrastructure.
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Rising violence in Balochistan
Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province by area but its least populated. The region has long faced an insurgency involving separatist groups demanding greater autonomy or independence. Security operations by Pakistani forces have intensified in recent years, but militant attacks have continued.
Railway infrastructure has increasingly become a target, with militants viewing trains as high-impact symbols of state presence and mobility.
The latest bombing adds to a series of security incidents that have strained emergency response systems in the region. Officials have not yet confirmed whether additional security measures will be deployed across rail networks nationwide.
The attack shows ongoing instability in Balochistan, where militant violence continues despite sustained counterterrorism operations.
