Quetta. The death toll from a powerful bombing at a Quetta rail station in southwestern Pakistan on Saturday has risen to 17, officials reported. The attack also wounded 30 others, with several critically injured.

The explosion occurred as passengers waited for a train to Rawalpindi, a garrison city, from Quetta, the capital of the volatile Balochistan province, according to senior police officer Mohammad Baloch.

The separatist Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility in a statement, saying a suicide bomber targeted troops at the station. Police are investigating the claim.

Television footage showed the platform strewn with passengers' luggage.

Quetta police official Ayesha Faiz reported that some critically injured passengers succumbed to their injuries at the hospital, raising the death toll. Earlier, government spokesperson Shahid Rind warned that fatalities could rise as several victims remain in critical condition.

Local media reported at least 20 fatalities.

Balochistan, Pakistan's largest and least populated province, is rich in oil and minerals. The ethnic Baloch minority in the province alleges discrimination and exploitation by the central government. Alongside separatist groups, Islamic militants also operate in the region.

The BLA frequently targets security forces and foreigners, particularly Chinese nationals involved in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which funds major infrastructure projects in Pakistan.