At least 26 people were killed and 62 injured after a suicide blast ripped through a Quetta Railway Station on Saturday, local authorities and hospital officials said.

The incident comes a week after a bomb blast near a girl’s school and a hospital in Balochistan’s Mastung district killed eight people, including five children.

Pakistan, particularly the Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, has seen a sharp uptick in terrorism-related incidents over the past year.

While speaking to Dawn.com, provincial health department spokesperson Wasim Baig said that the death toll rose to 26 after two people succumbed to their injuries while 62 others were injured in the explosion.

Quetta Division Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat said that the blast was a “suicide attack” primarily on law enforcement agencies, while civilians were also targeted.

Shafqaat added that gatherings have been banned in the area while bus stations were on high alert, adding that railways have been requested to close the station and suspend train services.

Speaking to Geo News, he said that besides civilians, “some law enforcement” personnel were also martyred.

According to Reuters, Balochistan Inspector General of Police (IG) Moazzam Jah Ansari said, “The target was army personnel from the Infantry School.”

While Baig did not confirm details about personnel to Dawn.com, AFP quoted him as saying: “Fourteen members of the army and 12 civilians were killed.”

Baig, according to AFP, said 46 members of the security forces and 14 civilians were wounded.

According to a list of injured people shifted to Quetta Trauma Centre and Emergency Department — issued by Managing Director Dr Arbab Kamran Kasi and available with Dawn.com — 53 people aged between 20 and 50 years were wounded.

Six of them were stated to be in a serious condition whereas three had been shifted to an intensive care unit.

The banned militant group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the blast.

Pakistan Railways had previously announced the restoration of train services between Quetta and Peshawar from Oct 11, after a suspension of more than a month and a half.

Train services had been suspended across the country on August 26 after a key railway bridge between Kolpur and Mach was destroyed in a blast carried out by BLA as part of province-wide coordinated attacks.

‘Treat terrorists as terrorists’

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti appealed to the country to “treat terrorists as terrorists” and appreciate that the state was working to counter their threat.

Addressing a joint press conference with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Quetta, the chief minister took aim at human rights activists asking why they remained silent on the attack.

“Where are they?” Bugti asked. “They should demand that the government do something about this.”

“These people turn the Baloch youth into suicide bombers and pursue politics this way,” he continued. “Terrorists have no nation, this is a battle for all aspects of society — the media, the judiciary, the politicians.”

He lamented that the mainstream media only described religiously motivated militant groups as “terrorists”, stating that “terrorists should be treated as terrorists”.

Answering a question, Bugti said, “We have to protect every inch of the state and they have to breach only one inch of the state. That causes a lot of damage.”

He said that the Balochistan government took responsibility for the damage, but lamented that there was no appreciation for counterterrorism operations.

“CTD conducted an operation in Sohrab, we conducted operations in Musakhel,” Bugti said.

Naqvi chimed in and said, “We have caught four or five terrorists in the past week. There are a great many things that don’t reach you (the media).

“This is war, we are not dealing with criminals,” he added. “The Balochistan government has taken the lead and is empowering the FC [Frontier Corps]. You will see results from the CM’s approach.”

The chief minister extended thanks to the health department and trauma centres for their response to the incident.

Appeal for blood

Speaking to Geo News, Shafqaat said the blast occurred at approximately 8:25am, adding that the body of the suicide bomber had also been identified.

He appealed to the public to donate blood for the wounded, stressing there was a need for it.

The commissioner also urged the public not to head to the railway station, Quetta Trauma Centre or the Civil Hospital, noting that “in such incidents, there is a risk of twin attacks”.

“Right now, we have cordoned off the city and are conducting snap-checking. […] Gatherings have been banned,” Shafqaat said.

Asked if the blast specifically targeted someone, the commissioner said terrorist organisations “attacked soft targets on purpose out of frustration”.

Emergency imposed in hospitals

Balochistan Heath Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar was present at the Quetta Trauma Centre to oversee the treatment of the injured, a statement by his office said.

It added that an emergency had been imposed in the Civil Hospital and the Trauma Centre, with more doctors summoned on duty.

Earlier, Quetta Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Mohammad Baloch told reporters that “around 100 people” were present at the site, according to footage seen by him.

He added that at the time of the blast, a Jaffar Express train was reportedly ready to depart from the platform for Peshawar.

Police and security forces had reached the site of the incident, according to a statement by Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind. He said the Bomb Disposal Squad was collecting evidence from the site and a report had been sought on the incident.

‘Continuation of targeting innocent people’

Earlier, Balochistan CM Bugti condemned the incident, saying it was a “continuation of targeting innocent people”.

In a statement, CM Bugti said, “The terrorists’ target now are innocent people, labourers, children and women. Those targeting innocent people do not deserve mercy.”

According to the statement, the chief minister has ordered an investigation into the blast and contacted top officials in Balochistan.

CM Bugti further said: “Terrorists are not eligible to be called humans. They have fallen from humanity; they are worse than animals.”

Stating that “elements involved in various terrorist incidents” in the past have been traced, he vowed that the perpetrators behind the railway blast would be caught as well.

CM Bugti reiterated the government’s resolve to continue operations against terrorists and pursue them. “We will root out terrorism from Balochistan,” he asserted.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the blast, praying for the deceased and the speedy recovery of the injured.

He also sought an investigation report from the Balochistan government on the incident, the premier’s statement added.

“Terrorists who harm the lives and property of innocent people will have to pay a heavy price,” Radio Pakistan quoted PM Shehbaz as saying.

Acting President Yousuf Raza Gilani also condemned the incident, expressing his grief over the loss of precious lives, Radio Pakistan reported.

Gilani said terrorists were enemies of humanity who target innocent people.

Both Shehbaz and Gilani reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to eradicate the menace of terrorism.

Interior Minister Naqvi, in a telephonic conversation with CM Bugti, condemned the blast, expressing heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families of the deceased.

In a post on X, the ministry said that Naqvi expressed complete solidarity with the families of the affectees.

The pair agreed to take joint and effective measures immediately against the anti-state activities in the province.

“Will go to the last extent to establish peace in Balochistan […] The federation will provide all possible support to the Balochistan government in this regard,” the interior minister said.

Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Linjar, while condemning the attack, assured the Balochistan government of “all possible support and cooperation”.

The police in Sindh were also ordered to remain on high alert in light of the terrorist attack, a statement from the Sindh interior minister’s office said.

Rise in terrorism

In 2023, Pakistan witnessed 1,524 violence-related fatalities and 1,463 injuries from 789 terror attacks and counter-terror operations. Overall fatalities, including those of outlaws, mark a record six-year high.

Terror attacks declined by 24 per cent in September compared to August, but they witnessed surges in August and July, according to monthly security reports.

On September 25, at least two policemen were among a dozen people injured by a bomb attack that targeted a police vehicle in Quetta.

Days later, terrorists armed with automatic weapons stormed an under-construction house in Panj­gur, killing seven labourers hailing from Multan.

The next day, armed men attacked the camp of a private construction company in the Musakhel district, torching the machinery and vehicles there. No casualties were reported.

Last month, three security personnel were martyred and four others were injured in a roadside bomb blast in Balochistan’s Kalat area.

Additional input from AFP