Suicide Blast Near Paramilitary Headquarters in Quetta Kills 10

A powerful car bomb exploded outside the paramilitary Frontier Corps headquarters in Quetta on Tuesday, killing at least 10 people and injuring more than 30 others, according to officials. The attack occurred near Zarghoon Road, a high-security zone in the capital of Balochistan province, and was followed by a gun battle between attackers and security forces.

Provincial Health Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar confirmed that two of the dead were security personnel while the rest were civilians. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as the blast shattered windows, damaged vehicles and sent plumes of smoke into the sky. “My mind just went blank … the explosion was just massive,” said Naresh Kumar, who was working in a nearby office. Another injured man, Inam, was treated in hospital for shrapnel wounds and injuries from broken glass.

Closed-circuit television footage showed a vehicle approaching the paramilitary compound before detonating. Security forces engaged the attackers soon after, killing four militants in the exchange, officials said.

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti denounced the incident as a terrorist act, while President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the violence and alleged that “misguided extremists were acting on India’s agenda.” No group has so far claimed responsibility for the bombing, and India has not responded to the accusation.

Balochistan, a resource-rich but restive region bordering Iran and Afghanistan, has long been a hotbed of separatist and militant activity. Armed groups, including the Baloch Liberation Army, have repeatedly targeted security forces and infrastructure linked to the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which includes the strategic Gwadar port.

Analysts suggest the Quetta blast may be linked to recent counterinsurgency operations in the province, underlining the continuing volatility of Pakistan’s largest but least developed region.