Explosions targeting Jaffar Express, other train disrupt rail traffic in Pakistan

Suspected insurgents detonated bombs in an attempt to attack two trains, including the frequently targeted Jaffar Express in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, damaging railway tracks and disrupting services, officials said on Saturday.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Quetta, Shahid Nawaz, said that on Friday, one bomb blast damaged about three feet of railway track in Mushkaf, while another blast in the Dasht area caused further damage.

“In both cases, the Jaffar Express and Bolan Mail passenger trains were the target,” he said. Railway services were disrupted after tracks were damaged on the main line due to the explosions. Nawaz said that from Saturday, security approval will be granted before confirming passenger train schedules from Quetta to other provinces of Pakistan.

“The safety and security of the passengers is paramount to us, and special security measures are being taken for all Quetta outbound passenger trains,” he said. Amid security concerns, a special service of the Jaffar Express train was allowed to leave for Peshawar on Saturday.

A railway official said a special service of the Jaffar Express was run to manage passenger rush, while normal services are waiting for security clearance.

It is not the first time insurgents have attacked the Jaffar Express, and its service has already been hit multiple times this year.

Insurgents have attacked the Jaffar Express and Bolan Mail at least three times in the past two months, damaging tracks but causing no deaths.

On March 11, the train became the target of an unprecedented hijacking when terrorists fired on the locomotive and took nearly 400 passengers hostage. Over 20 people were killed in the attack, while security forces rescued others and killed 33 insurgents.