Bureau Report

QUETTA: At least 22 persons were killed and 51 others injured including women and children in an explosion at Quetta railway station’s platform.

The blast took place at the time of the departure of Jaffar Express when large number of passengers were present at the railway station, police said. The injured have been transferred to hospital for medical attendance.

“It might be a suicide bombing,” SSP Operations Mohammad Baloch said. “Police inquiring into the nature of the explosion. Police has collected CCTV footages of the blast,” police officer further said.

Baluchistan’s chief minister Sarfaraz Bugti has condemned the incident and vowed to eliminate terrorism.

Sources said that that the security forces have cordoned off the railway station after the deadly blast.

The railway authorities have said that two trains, Chaman Passenger and Jaffar Express, were scheduled to depart from Quetta to Chaman and Peshawar respectively. The passengers of both trains were present at railway station platform at the time of the blast.

Acting President Yousaf Raza Gillani has condemned Quetta blast and vowed to take all possible steps for complete elimination of terrorism.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has denounced the explosion in Quetta and summoned investigation report of the incident. “Terrorists have to pay heavy price of their heinous act,” he added.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvis has said that terrorists are trying to create instability in Pakistan. “The nation will foil their designs”, he said.

People’s Party’s Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condemning the terrorism incident in Quetta said that those targeting innocent citizens could not be given any concession. “We are backing all steps to get rid of the terrorists and their facilitators”.