Quetta: another attack in Balochistan, over 20 dead and 70 injured

Whilst Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in China and Islamabad continues to offer itself as a mediator between the United States and Iran, Pakistan is facing growing internal instability. According to analysts, the suicide attack on a train in the capital of Balochistan confirms the strengthening of the armed insurgency and the government’s difficulties in ensuring security. Beijing has also called for the creation of a special force.

Quetta (AsiaNews) - Even as it seeks to resolve other nations’ conflicts, Islamabad is struggling to contain its own internal strife. Two days ago, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in China to continue his role as mediator in the conflict between the United States and Iran.

But in the meantime, the country must also contend with growing internal instability after a suicide attack claimed by separatist groups on a train in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, yesterday left at least 24 dead and over 70 injured, mostly civilians.

Sharif has arrived in Hangzhou for a four-day visit during which he will meet with Chinese diplomatic leaders. The head of the Pakistani army, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is also expected in Iran today.

But domestically, two armed insurgencies continue to destabilise the country: on the one hand, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Pakistani Taliban, are active in areas bordering Afghanistan; on the other, the separatist armed struggle in Balochistan is becoming increasingly sophisticated and large-scale.

Yesterday’s explosion in Quetta occurred shortly after 8 am near Chaman Phatak, whilst the train was travelling between Quetta Cantonment (a district administered by the armed forces) and the central station. According to local authorities, a vehicle packed with explosives rammed into the train, causing a detonation that derailed several carriages, set nearby cars alight and damaged some surrounding buildings. Among the victims are civilians, members of the security forces and an entire family comprising a father, mother and two children.

Images circulating on social media show overturned carriages, burnt-out vehicles and a thick column of black smoke rising above the city. Witnesses described scenes of panic: “My family and I jumped out of bed after hearing the blast. You could hear the screams and cries of women and children everywhere,” Mohammad Rahim, a local resident, told AFP. Another witness, Abdul Basit, reported that “people immediately started running to seek shelter”.

The provincial government of Balochistan has declared a state of emergency in Quetta’s main hospitals, calling in doctors and medical staff to assist the injured. Security forces have cordoned off the area whilst the police, counter-terrorism units and bomb disposal experts have launched an investigation.

The provincial government spokesperson, Shahid Rind, described the attack as “a cowardly act against innocent civilians”, claiming that “the terrorists want to destabilise peace in Balochistan”. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack, promising to continue the fight against terrorism “in all its forms”.

Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA), the region’s main separatist group, which has been waging a guerrilla war against the Pakistani state for decades, accusing Islamabad of exploiting Baluchistan’s natural resources without redistributing the benefits to the local population.

Recently, the group has stepped up attacks on railway infrastructure, military bases and, above all, Chinese interests linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The region, rich in gas and minerals, is home to the port of Gwadar, one of the main commercial hubs in Beijing’s infrastructure plans.

It is precisely the fear of further attacks against Chinese personnel that has prompted the Pakistani government to present a bill to Parliament today to create a new “Wapda Security Force”, a special force tasked with protecting dams, power stations and major infrastructure projects, particularly those involving Chinese workers.

In 2021 and 2024, two attacks struck the Dasu hydroelectric project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing Chinese and Pakistani engineers. The attacks led to the temporary suspension of work and increased pressure from Beijing on Islamabad to strengthen security measures. The new force will have very broad powers and enjoy strong legal protections, including almost total immunity for its officers.

Military analysts argue that the current crisis in Balochistan is the worst the region has faced in recent years. Continuous attacks, roadblocks and sabotage targeting the mining sector demonstrate a strengthening of the militias, already evident last year following the attack on the Jafar Express train. Many fear that the same situation could arise in the north-west, where the TTP has stepped up attacks against the police and the army in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, creating a situation that is increasingly difficult for the government to manage.