Pakistan train bombing: 24 killed as explosive-laden car hits military carriage in Quetta ahead of Eid

A BOMB attack on a military train in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, has killed at least 24 people and injured more than 50, a senior official confirmed on Sunday. The train was carrying army servicemen and their family members from Quetta to Peshawar when the explosion struck, in one of the deadliest attacks on Pakistani security forces in recent memory.

How the Attack Unfolded in Quetta

The train was passing a signal at Chaman Pattak in Quetta "when an explosive-laden car hit one of the carriages, which resulted in a big blast," a senior official told AFP. The force of the explosion caused two carriages to overturn and catch fire, sending thick black smoke into the air, according to footage shared widely online.

The attack took place in an area where security forces are typically stationed, badly damaging several nearby buildings and destroying vehicles parked along the road, according to witnesses and images circulating on social media. Windows were blown out across a wide radius and nearby vehicles were reduced to wreckage.

Quetta Bomb Blast: Death Toll and Casualties

Army servicemen were among those killed in the blast, a senior official confirmed to AFP. Doctors at local hospitals said they had received more than 30 wounded people in the immediate aftermath, several of them in critical condition. The toll subsequently rose, with a senior official confirming at least 24 dead and more than 50 injured.

Images circulating on social media showed a mangled train carriage lying on its side as people clambered over the wreckage searching for survivors. People could be seen carrying blood-soaked victims on stretchers away from the derailed carriages, while armed security forces stood guard at the perimeter.

Army Personnel Were Travelling to Celebrate Eid

Another official told AFP that the soldiers on board were travelling to mark the Eid holiday, which is due to begin on Tuesday. The train was en route from Quetta to Peshawar in Pakistan's northwest, carrying both military personnel and their family members, making the human toll of the attack particularly grave.

Balochistan government official Babar Yousafzai said authorities were still investigating the blast but gave no further details.

Why Balochistan Remains a Flashpoint for Violence

Balochistan is Pakistan's poorest province and its largest by landmass, lagging behind the rest of the country on almost every development index, including education, employment and economic growth.

Baloch separatists have long accused Pakistan's government of exploiting the province's substantial natural gas reserves and mineral wealth without directing meaningful benefits towards the local population.

The province has been the site of a long-running insurgency, and attacks on security forces and infrastructure have persisted for decades. Sunday's bombing represents one of the most lethal strikes on Pakistani military personnel in the province in recent years.