Bomb-Bag-Attock-670
Police personnel looking at bomb fitted in a bag which was offloaded from a train, Awami Express at Attock Railway Station and was defused by expert of bomb disposal squad. – File Photo by Online

QUETTA: A powerful blast at train station late on Wednesday killed at least five and injured at least 20 people in Sibi, DawnNews reported.

Home Secretary Balochistan Nasinullah Bazai, while speaking to DawnNews, vowed to arrest the culprits behind the attack and called a bomb disposal squad at the site to avoid anymore untoward incidents.

According to officials, explosive material was hidden at a tea stall at the platform number two of the station.

At the time of blast, Jaffer Express was stationery at the crowded platform. The train was arriving from Jafferabad and destined for Quetta.

AP adds: Police officer Qasim Salachi says the bomb went off just minutes after the train pulled into the station, as passengers were buying food and drinks.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

The dead and injured were being shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital Sibi. Deputy Commissioner Shahid Saleem Qureshi has imposed an emergency in the hospital.

There are children among the injured while eight injured are reported to be in critical condition.

Police and other security agencies have cordoned off the blast site and initiated an investigation.

Balochistan has experienced decades of violence at the hands of separatists who demand a greater share of the province's natural resources. It is also believed to be a base for many Afghan Taliban militants.

Opinion

Editorial

X post facto
Updated 19 Apr, 2024

X post facto

Our decision-makers should realise the harm they are causing.
Insufficient inquiry
19 Apr, 2024

Insufficient inquiry

UNLESS the state is honest about the mistakes its functionaries have made, we will be doomed to repeat our follies....
Melting glaciers
19 Apr, 2024

Melting glaciers

AFTER several rain-related deaths in KP in recent days, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority has sprung into...
IMF’s projections
Updated 18 Apr, 2024

IMF’s projections

The problems are well-known and the country is aware of what is needed to stabilise the economy; the challenge is follow-through and implementation.
Hepatitis crisis
18 Apr, 2024

Hepatitis crisis

THE sheer scale of the crisis is staggering. A new WHO report flags Pakistan as the country with the highest number...
Never-ending suffering
18 Apr, 2024

Never-ending suffering

OVER the weekend, the world witnessed an intense spectacle when Iran launched its drone-and-missile barrage against...