Massive blast in Pak's Balochistan as car with explosives hits train; army men among 24 dead

A powerful bomb reportedly exploded near a railway track in Pakistan on Sunday, killing over two dozen people.

Over 24 people were reportedly killed and 50 others injured in southwest Pakistan after a powerful bomb exploded near a railway track in Quetta. The explosion was targeting a train carrying army personnel and their families from Quetta to Peshawar, news agency AFP reported.

Security personnel inspect damaged derailed carriages after an explosion targeted a train in Quetta on May 24. (AFP)

An explosive-laden car hit one of the train carriages when it was passing a signal at Chaman Pattak in Quetta, an official reportedly said, adding that the collision caused a “big blast”.

Army servicemen were among the victims.

In the aftermath of the powerful blast, two bogies of the train were seen overturned and on fire, with thick black smoke billowing out of it. Some vehicles parked near the explosion site were also damaged, news agency AP reported, citing witnesses.

Paramilitary soldiers and volunteers try to recover victims from an overturned train coach on a railway track at the site of a bomb explosion.

Balochistan government official Babar Yousafzai said authorities were still investigating the blast, but gave no further details, the report further added.

Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the explosion and expressed condolences to the families of victims. “Such cowardly acts of terrorism cannot weaken the resolve of the people of Pakistan. We remain steadfast in our determination to eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” he said in a post on X.

A volunteer, top, helps an injured victim after recovering from an overturned train coach on a railway track at the site of bomb explosion, in Quetta.

Balochistan has been at the centre of unrest several times, with groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) seeking independence from Pakistan’s central government.

The incident comes one year after a passenger train carrying 400 people was hijacked by militants in Balochistan province when it was headed to Peshwar from Quetta. The BLA had claimed responsibility for the hijack. Back then, all 33 terrorists involved in attacking the train were killed by the Pakistani forces, and hundreds of passengers were rescued.

More recently in October 2025, multiple coaches of the Jaffar Express were derailed in the Sindh Province due to a blast, injuring several passengers.