QUETTA: The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) on Sunday shared the image and profile of Muhammad Rafiq Bezanjo, the suicide bomber responsible for the deadly blast at Quetta Railway Station on Saturday.
The terrorist, who detonated himself among passengers preparing to board the Jaffar Express, is depicted in a photo released on social media carrying an M4 rifle, made in the USA, and other American-made military gear.
A forensic examination of the picture confirms that the M4 rifle, the uniform, the ammunition jacket, and cap worn by Bezanjo are all US-manufactured. These items are commonly available in Afghanistan and are sold in exchange for US dollars.
The connection further intensifies suspicions of Indian involvement in the insurgency in Balochistan and that the BLA has reportedly been receiving financial and logistical support from RAW to carry out attacks against the Pakistani state. Claims state that BLA has been procuring weapons from Afghanistan using funds provided by RAW.
In the aftermath of the attack, an FIR was lodged at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) police station by the SHO of Railways Police Station. The case includes charges related to murder, attempted murder, terrorism, and explosives violations. Investigators have collected DNA samples from the bomber’s remains to help identify him more conclusively.
Saturday’s bombing, which resulted in the deaths of at least 26 people and left more than 60 others injured, took place early in the morning.
As the Jaffar Express was preparing to depart, the suicide bomber detonated his explosives amid a crowd of people, including women and children, gathered on the platform. Emergency services responded quickly, with many of the injured rushed to the CMH and Civil Hospitals.
Witnesses described a scene of chaos, with pools of blood and debris scattered across the platform. The blast caused significant damage, including the destruction of a metal sheet designed to shield passengers from the elements. Local hospitals were overwhelmed with the number of casualties, as multiple bodies and dozens of injured individuals were brought in for treatment.
The toll from the bombing has been described as one of the highest in recent attacks in Balochistan, a province that borders Afghanistan and Iran and has long been a flashpoint for militancy.
Despite frequent attacks in the region, the scale of this bombing, along with the involvement of US-made weapons, has drawn widespread condemnation and raised serious concerns about the ongoing instability in Balochistan and its link to external support.
