QUETTA, Pakistan — A devastating suicide bombing struck the Frontier Corps (FC) headquarters in Quetta on Tuesday, killing at least 10 people and wounding more than 30 in one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in recent months, according to Pakistan’s media news.
According to officials, the assault began when a suicide bomber, disguised in an FC uniform, rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the compound’s main gate on Zarghoon Road, shattering nearby windows and shaking central Quetta. Moments later, a team of heavily armed militants attempted to storm the facility but were intercepted by security forces in a fierce gun battle.
Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti said four attackers were “sent to hell” by FC personnel before they could breach the headquarters. Police reported that dry food and supplies found on the militants suggested they had planned for a prolonged siege.
Balochistan Health Minister Bakht Mohammad Kakar confirmed that two FC personnel and at least eight civilians were among the dead. More than 30 wounded, including women and children were rushed to Civil Hospital Quetta and the Cantonment Military Hospital, where a state of emergency was declared. Several remain in critical condition.
President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack as the work of “India-backed miscreants,” vowing that such assaults would not derail Pakistan’s peace. He praised the swift response of security forces in foiling what he called the “malicious designs of terrorists.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed the condemnation, lauding FC personnel for their courage and pledging that the “nefarious designs” of those seeking to destabilize the country would be crushed.
The powerful explosion, which left a massive crater and damaged buildings hundreds of feet away, once again underscored the volatility of Balochistan, where separatist insurgents and extremist groups have long targeted security installations.
By Tuesday evening, security forces had sealed off the blast site and launched an investigation. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
For Quetta’s residents, it was another day marked by grief, fear, and resilience, a grim reminder of the city’s frontline role in Pakistan’s struggle against militancy.
