Quetta Train Blast Kills 14, FC Personnel Among Martyrs
A terrorist attack targeting a train near Chaman Phatak in Quetta killed at least 14 people on Sunday, with Frontier Corps personnel reported among those martyred, according to provincial officials and security sources. Hospitals in the city declared an emergency as casualties were rushed to medical facilities.
The Balochistan Health Minister condemned the attack and confirmed that emergency protocols had been activated across Quetta's major hospitals to handle the influx of wounded. The nature and scale of the blast suggest a deliberate, high-impact strike on both civilian passengers and security personnel travelling aboard the train.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued separate statements condemning the attack and vowing the decisive defeat of perpetrators and their support networks. Both leaders described the assault as an act of cowardice directed against the Pakistani state and its people.
The attack near Chaman Phatak — a key urban rail corridor in Quetta — underscores the persistent security threat in Balochistan, where militant groups have repeatedly targeted both civilian infrastructure and security forces. The involvement of FC personnel as casualties adds a direct counterterrorism dimension to what was already a mass casualty incident.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a post-blast investigation. Further details on the nature of the explosive device and the group responsible were not immediately confirmed by official sources.
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