Pakistan train explosion: An explosion occurred near Quetta railway tracks, killing 24 people and injuring more than 50

A powerful explosion occurred near the Chaman Fattak railway station in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Sunday, killing at least 24 people and injuring more than 50 people.The explosion occurred near Quetta railway tracks, causing partial damage to a train and at least 10 cars parked nearby, police said.The impact of the explosion shattered windows and panes of glass in nearby buildings, GeoTV reported. Many injured were sent to nearby hospitals for treatment.According to Agence France-Presse, soldiers were killed in the attack in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province.The train, carrying army personnel and their families, was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar on its way to the Eid holiday when the blast occurred.The official said the train was passing a signal at Chaman Pattak when an explosive-laden device hit one of the carriages, triggering a powerful explosion.Images and videos from the scene showed a damaged train car on its side and people crawling through the wreckage in search of survivors. Armed security personnel cordoned off the area and several injured victims were carried away on stretchers.Following the incident, authorities declared a state of emergency in government hospitals across Quetta and called in more doctors and medical staff to deal with the situation.Railway officials said the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express was stopped at Quetta railway station as a precautionary measure after the explosion.Babar Yousafzai, spokesman for the province’s interior minister, said that after the explosion, all relevant agencies were on high alert.He also urged people to avoid gathering near the explosion site so that rescue and emergency teams can continue operations without hindrance.After the explosion, security personnel and rescue workers rushed to the scene quickly to launch rescue and investigation operations.Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but poorest province, has long faced instability and underdevelopment. The region is also the scene of a long-running insurgency, with separatist groups accusing the federal government of exploiting its vast natural gas and mineral resources without bringing sufficient benefits to the region.