Last month, at least 14 people, including three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, were martyred and several others critically injured in a terrorist attack near the Chaman Phatak area of Quetta.
In a statement issued today, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said security forces launched a series of intelligence-based operations in different districts of Balochistan after the train attack.
“Post train incident on May 24, 2026, security forces conducted a series of intelligence-based operations in Mastung, Nushki, Zehri, Khuzdar and Kech districts of Balochistan province,” the ISPR said.
It added that troops effectively engaged multiple terrorist hideouts during the operations.
“Following intense and fierce exchanges of fire, 17 terrorists belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Hindustan have been sent to hell, giving a significant blow to the terrorist networks operating in these areas,” said the statement.
Fitna-al-Hindustan is a term used by the state to refer to terrorist groups operating in Balochistan following Operation Marka-e-Haq against India last year.
The ISPR said weapons, ammunition, a large cache of explosives and prepared improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recovered from the slain militants.
According to the statement, they were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area.
“Sanitisation operations continue to eliminate terrorists from these areas, as relentless counter terrorism campaign under vision ‘Azm e Istehkam’ (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” it concluded.
Terrorism is a growing problem for Pakistan, with the number of attacks rising every year since 2022, according to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a global monitoring organisation. Data from ACLED shows attacks in Pakistan rose nearly fourfold to 2,425 in 2025 from 658 in 2022, and over the same period, TTP attacks increased more than sevenfold to 838 from 118.
Although Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has borne the brunt of terrorism, Balochistan has also remained a major target of Indian proxies, which often target civilians and military installations in the province.
In one such attack on the last day of last year, terrorists targeted innocent civilians in Balochistan’s Gwadar and Kharan districts, where 18 people, including women, children, the elderly and labourers, embraced martyrdom.
Security forces and law enforcement agencies immediately responded and successfully thwarted the “evil designs” of the terrorists, killing 92 militants, while 15 security personnel also embraced martyrdom during the operation.
At least 14 people, including three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, were martyred and several others critically injured in a terrorist attack near the Chaman Phatak area of Quetta, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed on Sunday( May 24).
"The deliberate targeting of civilians, which included women, children, and ordinary passengers among the affected, highlights how these elements intentionally attack soft civilian targets to spread fear and instability rather than confront the state directly," the military's media wing added.
It stated that the attack "reflects the desperation of anti-Pakistan terrorist proxies seeking to disturb peace and create panic through indiscriminate violence against innocent people during a period of improving stability and normalcy."
According to the ISPR, security forces and law enforcement agencies responded immediately to the site, cordoned off the area, initiated investigations, and are actively pursuing all facilitators and perpetrators involved in the attack.
Further, the media wing stated that the martyrdom of the FC personnel while protecting civilians "reinforces the continued sacrifices being rendered by Pakistan’s security forces to safeguard public life against externally backed terrorist violence."
Concluding the statement, the ISPR stated that such attacks cannot weaken public resolve, as the people of Pakistan, particularly the citizens of Balochistan, continue to reject terrorism and stand with the state and security institutions against enemies of peace and stability.
According to police, the explosion occurred at approximately 8:15am near Chaman Phatak when a train was passing through the area. Railway officials said terrorists targeted the train, causing a fire to erupt in one of the bogies.
Fire brigade and rescue teams reached the site and initiated relief operations, while the injured were shifted to Civil Hospital, BMC, and other trauma centres where an emergency was declared.
The explosion was so intense that the windows of nearby buildings and residential flats were shattered, while several vehicles also caught fire.
According to police, a husband, wife, and their 13-year-old daughter residing in a nearby flat were also martyred in the explosion. Eyewitnesses said the sound of the blast was heard from far away, after which severe panic spread throughout the area.
Following the incident, security forces cordoned off the area and launched an investigation to determine the nature of the explosion. Checkpoints have been established at the city’s entry and exit points, and the checking process has been further tightened.
Further, train service on the affected track has been suspended, while railway heavy machinery remains engaged in clearing debris and restoring the track so that movement can be resumed as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reached Quetta following the attack, chairing a special meeting alongside Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, the Interior Ministry announced on X.
According to the ministry, during the meeting, the Balochistan inspector general of police presented an initial report on the blast. Law enforcement officers were also present in the meeting.
"The meeting strongly condemned the cowardly attack on innocent people," the ministry wrote. In a separate post, it added that CM Bugti expressed his gratitude to Naqvi, saying that the interior minister has stood with Balochistan in every difficult time
"We are indebted to the blood of the martyrs," Bugti said. He also noted that the families of the martyrs will not be abandoned.
Further, the CM stated that he is personally overseeing the treatment and care of those injured.
Meanwhile, according to Provincial Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar, an emergency has been declared at all major hospitals in the city, while doctors, paramedical staff, and medical personnel are providing medical assistance to the injured.