Emergency declared in Quetta hospitals; Jaffer Express suspended; President, PM, and CM Balochistan vow strict action against perpetrators
QUETTA (Web Desk) – At least 14 individuals, including three Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel, were martyred and scores of others sustained injuries in a powerful explosion targeting a railway track near Chaman Phatak in Quetta. The casualties include women and children, who were rushed to nearby medical facilities for emergency treatment.
Property Damage and Emergency Response
According to law enforcement agencies, the blast occurred directly on the railway track, causing extensive damage to the train infrastructure and vehicles parked in the vicinity. The impact of the explosion was so severe that it shattered the window panes of surrounding residential and commercial buildings.
Following the incident, security forces cordoned off the entire area to launch a combing operation. A state of emergency has been declared across all major hospitals in Quetta. For public safety, the Peshawar-bound Jaffer Express was halted at the Quetta station. Special Assistant Babar Yousafzai stated that intelligence and law enforcement agencies are actively gathering information and remain on high alert.
National Leadership Condemns Cowardly Attack
Top state officials issued strong condemnations, reaffirming the state's resolve to eliminate terrorism:
President Asif Ali Zardari: "The enemy aims to divert attention from Pakistan's global peace efforts. We will neither forget nor forgive the terrorists and their facilitators. The blood of our martyrs will not go in vain; every drop will be accounted for."
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif: "Such cowardly acts of terrorism cannot shake the resilience of the Pakistani nation. We stand unwavering in our commitment to root out terrorism entirely from our soil."
CM Balochistan Blames Local Affiliates of Foreign Networks
Reacting to the tragedy, Chief Minister Balochistan Sarfraz Bugti strongly condemned the violence, attributing it to state-backed terror networks. "The terrorists of Fitna-al-Hindustan are showing sheer brutality by targeting innocent citizens. Those who spill the blood of innocents deserve no leniency," Bugti asserted, vowing to eliminate both the attackers and their facilitators.
Furthermore, Shahid Rind, the spokesperson and assistant to the Chief Minister, confirmed that a high-level investigation has been initiated, ensuring that those responsible will face swift justice under the law.