### Deadly Suicide Bombing at Quetta Railway Station Claims 25 Lives

A devastating suicide bombing at a railway station in Quetta, southwestern Pakistan, has left at least 25 people dead and around 50 others injured. The tragic incident unfolded as a popular morning train was preparing to depart for Peshawar from Quetta station in Balochistan province.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, has claimed responsibility for the attack, which authorities are calling a suicide bombing. Eyewitnesses reported scenes of chaos and devastation, with videos on social media capturing the aftermath—injured individuals scattered across the platform amidst debris.

Senior police official Muhammad Baloch indicated that the explosion was likely triggered by a bomber carrying between 6-8 kilograms of explosives. The casualties included both civilians and military personnel, with police later confirming that 14 soldiers were among the dead.

Abdul Jabbar, one of the injured brought to the Civil Hospital, described the moment of the explosion as indescribable horror, likening it to "judgement day." Meanwhile, Muhammad Sohail, who arrived at the station shortly after the blast, recounted a scene of total devastation with injured people desperately crying out for help.

The BLA’s statement revealed that the attack aimed at a Pakistan military unit returning from Quetta after completing a training course. This incident follows a recent increase in violent attacks in Balochistan, largely driven by separatist demands for independence and control over local resources.

The chief minister of Balochistan, Mir Sarfraz Bugti, condemned the attack, labeling the perpetrators as "worse than animals" and vowing to bring them to justice. Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, also denounced the bombing, calling those responsible "enemies of humanity."

Balochistan, Pakistan's largest and resource-rich province, has long been plagued by instability. The region borders Iran and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and it has faced a decades-long insurgency by separatist groups like the BLA who seek regional independence from Pakistan. In August, at least 73 people were killed in a series of attacks targeting police stations, railways, and highways—a campaign also claimed by the BLA.