QUETTA -UNS:At least 14 people, including three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, were martyred and several others injured in a powerful blast near a railway track close to Chaman Phatak in Quetta on Sunday, according to the Government of Balochistan.
Several women and children were among the injured and were shifted to hospitals for treatment. Authorities declared an emergency in government hospitals across Quetta, while doctors and medical staff were placed on high alert.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said terrorists targeted unarmed civilians, adding that attacks on public places reflected the desperation of militant elements. Security forces cordoned off the area and launched an investigation as evidence collection continued.
Railway officials said the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express was stopped at Quetta Railway Station as a precaution following the explosion. Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi stated that the blast derailed the engine and three coaches, and directed railway authorities to submit an immediate report.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, reaffirming Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate terrorism and expressing condolences to the victims’ families.
