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Train blast death toll SW Pakistan reaches 16

ISLAMABAD, April 8 (KUNA) -- The death toll of the blast in a train in southwestern Pakistani province of Balochistan on Tuesday rose to 16 and wounded 40 others, said officials.
District Police Officer (DPO) of Sibi, Ghullam Abbas Tarar confirmed that the death toll in Sibi blast had reached 16 with 40 persons injured, setting the train on fire and destroying one bogie.
Mohammad Tahir, another senior police official, in a statement said that militants targeted the passenger train through an improvised explosive device (IED) at Sibi Railway Station.
He said "when Pindi bound train reached railway station, there was a huge blast." The train caught fire from the powerful blast and twelve passengers were burnt to death, he added.
The fire gradually spread and four bogies of passenger train caught fire that was carrying hundreds of passengers.
Sher Khan Bazai, a senior administration official, confirmed said that over 24 patients are in critical condition and they will be shifted to Quetta as soon as they are stable enough to travel. He added that the injured included six women and four children.
Earlier, Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique had said that the involvement of a woman was suspected in the incident.
He said "the train was standing at Sibi railway station where FC and other law enforcement agencies are always alert. We will have to review the security and find out the cracks from where the terrorists slipped and planted the explosives." President of Pakistan, Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sahrif strongly condemned the blast. The President who is on a two-day visit to the capital of Balochistan expressed his deep sympathies with the bereaved families and called upon the concerned to ensure provision of best medical assistance to the injured.
The blast came a day after the security forces said they killed 30 militants during operations in Kalat and Khuzdar districts of the province. Balochistan has been facing militants' insurgency, blasts, kidnappings and violence for over a decade. (pick up previous) sbk.bs