At least seven people were killed and more than 20 others injured after an explosion near the Chaman crossing in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s Balochistan province, derailed a passenger train and triggered a major emergency response.
According to reports, two train carriages were thrown off the tracks while another carriage suffered severe damage following the blast.
A Pakistani police official confirmed the casualty figures in comments to BBC Urdu, although authorities have not yet released a final official toll.
Images circulating after the incident showed several vehicles near the railway line engulfed in flames while damaged train carriages remained overturned on the tracks.
Babar Yousafzai, media adviser to the Balochistan provincial interior department, said officials were still gathering information about the explosion and investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Irfan Khan, an eyewitness quoted by BBC Urdu, said the force of the explosion caused two train carriages to overturn and sparked a fire that badly damaged another carriage.
He added that multiple vehicles parked near the railway line were also damaged and that the sound of the explosion was heard across different parts of Quetta.
Following the incident, hospitals across the city declared emergency conditions as rescue operations continued at the scene.
Authorities have also expressed concern that the number of casualties could rise.
Pakistan’s Balochistan province has witnessed repeated bombings, attacks on railway infrastructure, and broader security instability in recent years.
