A potent car bomb ripped through the area outside Pakistan’s paramilitary security forces headquarters in Quetta, the southwestern city, on Tuesday. The horrific attack resulted in the deaths of at least eight individuals and left many more injured, according to official reports.
Police investigators revealed that four attackers, who were inside the vehicle, first exited it before the explosion, initiating a fierce gun battle with security personnel.
Eyewitnesses described the blast as exceptionally powerful, audible from a considerable distance. Emergency services, including ambulances, swiftly arrived at the scene near the Frontier Constabulary building, transporting the injured to local hospitals.
While no group immediately took credit for the atrocity, suspicions are likely to point towards separatist organizations. These groups frequently target both civilians and security forces within Balochistan, a province long afflicted by insurgency, with Quetta serving as its capital.
Provincial Health Minister Bakhat Kakar expressed deep concern, noting that the casualty count might unfortunately increase.
Footage from local television and CCTV cameras at the blast site clearly showed a car pulling up to the paramilitary compound’s gate. This was followed by a large explosion and subsequent sounds of gunfire. The force of the blast shattered windows in neighboring buildings and damaged numerous vehicles in the vicinity.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti vehemently condemned the attack, confirming that security forces retaliated, neutralizing all four attackers.
In a powerful statement, Mr. Bugti asserted that ‘terrorists cannot shatter the nation’s resolve through such cowardly acts, and the sacrifices of our citizens and security forces will not be forgotten.’ He reiterated his government’s dedication to ensuring peace and security throughout the province.
This recent incident follows a similar tragedy weeks earlier, when a suicide bomber detonated explosives outside a stadium near Quetta, targeting supporters leaving a nationalist party rally. That attack tragically killed at least 13 people and injured 30 others.
Balochistan has a history of insurgent activity, with various groups, including the proscribed Baloch Liberation Army, seeking independence from Pakistan’s central government. These separatist factions frequently target both security forces and civilians across the region and beyond.