At least 10 people were killed and over 30 others injured on Tuesday in a bomb attack against the paramilitary forces in Pakistan's troubled Balochistan province.
The blast ripped through a busy street close to the headquarters of Frontier Constabulary (FC) in Quetta, capital of the province.
Balochistan Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar confirmed the attack. “Ten people have been killed while 32 were injured in the blast,” he told the media.
The injured were rushed to the city's various hospitals, where an emergency was declared.
“An emergency has been declared at the Quetta Civil Hospital, Balochistan Medical College (BMC) Hospital Quetta, and the Trauma Centre,” according to a statement by Health Secretary Mujeebur Rehman.
Television footage and social media clips showed the powerful explosion ripping through the street, which also caught several civilians present in the vicinity.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the blast, Baloch insurgent groups frequently carry out attacks targeting security personnel in the province.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti strongly condemned the incident, calling it a “terrorist attack.”
“The terrorists cannot weaken the nation's resolve through cowardly acts. The sacrifices of the people and security forces will not go in vain. We remain committed to making Balochistan peaceful and secure," he said in a statement on X.
Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, is home to a long-running violent insurgency.
Baloch insurgent groups frequently carry out attacks targeting security personnel, government projects and the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in this oil and mineral-rich province.