According to officials, the incident occurred around 8am on Sunday when the train arriving from Quetta Cantt was heading towards the city. A powerful blast near Chaman Phatak caused the train to derail, while one of its bogies overturned.
Health department and police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the deaths and said the bodies, including those of women and children, had been shifted to Civil Hospital.
Authorities said the number of injured had crossed 100. Most of the wounded were taken to Civil Hospital and CMH, while others were shifted to FC Hospital, BMC and the New Trauma Centre.
Police said the explosion affected not only passengers aboard the train but also nearby pedestrians and residents living in surrounding buildings.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing intense gunfire after the blast. The explosion was so powerful that windows of nearby houses shattered, while several vehicles caught fire. Fire brigade teams later arrived to extinguish the flames.
Federal Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi strongly condemned the attack on the shuttle train coming from Quetta Cantt, calling it an act of cowardly terrorism.
He said anti-Pakistan networks operating from India and Afghanistan would not be allowed to succeed in their objectives, adding that railway operations would continue as normal.
The blast derailed three bogies, including the engine, after which security forces cordoned off the area and launched a rescue operation. The railways minister also sought an immediate report on the incident.
Reports said the intensity of the explosion created a large crater in the ground and damaged nearby homes, plazas and more than 20 vehicles.
According to the railway control room, the shuttle train operates between Quetta Cantt and the railway station, where its bogies are attached to the Jaffar Express.
The train was travelling onward to Sukkur, Multan, Lahore and Peshawar.
Officials said some passengers remained trapped inside the overturned bogie and rescue efforts were ongoing, while a crane had also reached the site to help restore the carriage.
Teams from Rescue 1122 and other emergency services are also participating in relief activities.
Following the incident, an emergency was declared at Civil Hospital, CMH and other medical centres to ensure immediate treatment for the injured.
Balochistan has witnessed similar attacks on trains in the past. In April 2025, the Jaffar Express was hijacked and passengers were taken hostage before security forces carried out an operation. Around 30 people were killed in that incident.
Similarly, in November 2024, a suicide bombing at Quetta Railway Station claimed the lives of 25 people.
