QUETTA  -  At least four people were killed and several others injured in a car bomb blast near FC Fort in Qila Abdullah, Balochistan province, police said yesterday.

The explosion occurred near Jabbar Market, adjacent to the back wall of the FC Fort, Qila Abdullah, confirmed Deputy Commissioner Riaz Khan to media saying at least 20 persons were wounded in the explosion, who were later shifted to different hospitals for treatment.

He said that several vehicles and shops were also destroyed in the powerful blast as terrorists apparently wanted to target the wall of FC Fort.

Immediately after the blast, intense firing broke out in the area. The Qila Abdullah deputy commissioner had confirmed the explosion and stated that the bomb had been planted in a vehicle, which had been parked in a busy market near the FC camp. According to Riaz Khan Dawar, personnel of the FC and other security forces remained unharmed in the explosion. He said some wounded persons were being shifted to Quetta due to lack of health facilities in the area.

At the time of the explosion, tribal leader Haji Faizullah Khan Ghabizai was also present at his office. The tribal leader, his security guard and a passerby were also among the wounded persons.

Soon after the incident, heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies cordoned off the whole area and commenced a search and clearance operation.

In a separate incident, unidentified armed men attacked the FC Qila Gulistan post with hand grenades. FC personnel responded immediately, killing two terrorists in retaliation.

According to the FC Balochistan spokesperson, an exchange of fire continued between the terrorists and security forces for a brief period.

Officials said the situation around the FC Qila Gulistan post had been brought under control, and full alert had been maintained in the area to prevent any further untoward incidents.

Pakistan has witnessed surge in terror incidents since Taliban rulers returned to Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

However, the first quarter of 2025 saw some promising trends in the security landscape of Pakistan, with the fatalities of militants and insurgents outnumbering the cumulative losses of civilians and security forces personnel.

Despite progress, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan remain epicentres of violence, accounting for 98% of all fatalities, with attacks growing bolder and militant tactics evolving, including the unprecedented hijacking of the Jaffar Express.