At least 24 people were killed and more than 50 injured after an explosion struck a railway track in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s Balochistan province.According to reports, the blast derailed a cargo train, causing two carriages to overturn and catch fire.Witnesses and officials said the explosion was followed by gunfire, increasing panic in the surrounding area.The attack reportedly occurred near a location commonly used by security forces, and nearby buildings and vehicles sustained significant damage.The banned militant group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the incident.In its statement, the organisation said the train was transporting Pakistani security personnel and that the attack was intended to target them.The BLA has been involved in a long-running separatist insurgency in Balochistan, a region rich in oil, gas and mineral resources.

Militants in the province have frequently accused Pakistan’s central government of exploiting local resources while failing to provide adequate political and economic rights to the Baloch population.Authorities launched an investigation immediately after the attack, while emergency teams transported injured victims to nearby hospitals.Security operations in the area were also intensified following the explosion.

The incident highlights the continuing instability in Balochistan, where separatist violence and attacks on infrastructure, security personnel and transport routes remain a serious concern for Pakistan’s government.