Pakistan: Car Bomb Hits Paramilitary HQ in Quetta, 10 Dead

By Staff, Agencies

A deadly car bombing outside the headquarters of Pakistan’s paramilitary forces rocked Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, on Tuesday. The blast and a subsequent gunfight left at least 10 people dead and 30 injured.

News agency AP quoted the local police as saying that the attackers arrived in a vehicle, stepped out, and opened gunfire. The security personnel at the paramilitary HQ, Frontier Constabulary compound, retaliated in kind, following which the car exploded.

The blast was heard miles away, AP reported. The explosion shattered windows and damaged nearby vehicles. Ambulances rushed to the scene quickly took the injured to hospitals.

No group has claimed responsibility so far, though separatist factions active in Balochistan are often blamed for similar assaults on civilians and security forces.

Provincial Health Minister Bakhat Kakar warned that the death toll could climb further as some of the wounded remain in critical condition.

Television broadcasts and CCTV footage captured the moment the car stopped at the compound gate before erupting in flames, followed by a volley of gunfire.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti strongly condemned the attack. He also confirmed that security forces shot dead all four assailants.

“Terrorists cannot weaken the nation’s determination with such cowardly acts. The sacrifices of our people and forces will not be in vain,” Bugti was quoted as saying by AP. He further said that his government remains committed to restoring peace in the province.

The bombing comes just weeks after a suicide attacker targeted a rally near Quetta, killing 13 people and injuring dozens.

Balochistan has faced a decades-long insurgency, with groups like the banned Baloch Liberation Army pushing for independence. These separatist are often linked to such deadly strikes against security personnel and civilians, both within the province and beyond.