Pakistan: 24 Killed In 'Suicide Blast' At Quetta Railway Station In Balochistan

Six individuals were killed, and over a dozen injured in an explosion at a platform within Quetta Railway Station in Balochistan, Pakistan.

Several people have been reported dead after an explosion near Quetta railway station in Pakistan.

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Over a dozen people have been reported dead in an explosion at Quetta railway station in Pakistan's Balochistan province on Saturday, said police officials. As many as 24 people have died while 46 others were injured in the blast that occurred at a platform inside the railway station, a Quetta police official said. 

The train was ready to depart from the platform for Peshawar, at the time of the blast, according to a Dawn News report.

Quetta Division Commissioner Hamza Shafqat said that the incident was a suicide blast as he confirmed the death toll, Dawn News reported. An investigation has been launched into the incident to ascertain the nature of the blast, Quetta Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Mohammad Baloch said. 

Balochistan Liberation Army, the banned militant outfit in the country, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Spokesperson for the Balochistan government, Shahid Rind said that the security forces and police have reached the site of the incident. The nature of the blast is being investigated by the Bomb Disposal Squad, Rind said. The bomb squad is collecting evidence from the site and a report has been sought on the incident, he added. 

The nearby hospitals in the area have been put on "emergency mode", the government officials stated and said the "injured were being provided with medical aid." 

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti instructed the relevant officials to probe the incident. He reiterated the resolve to eradicate the scourge of terrorism from the province, reported Geo News. 

Acting President Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani condemned the incident saying terrorists were enemies of humanity who targeted innocent civilians. 

The incident comes just a week after eight people were killed in a bomb blast near a girl's school and a hospital in Balochistan's Mastung district. Among the deceased were five children.