Suspected insurgents in Pakistan's volatile Balochistan province launched a coordinated attack on Friday, targeting two major passenger trains with explosive devices. The blasts damaged railway tracks, disrupting services and prompting authorities to implement stringent new security protocols for outbound trains from Quetta.
Details of the Coordinated Attacks
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) for Quetta, Shahid Nawaz, provided details of the twin incidents. The first explosion occurred in the Mushkaf area, damaging approximately three feet of railway track. A second blast followed in the Dasht region, causing further destruction to the infrastructure.
SSP Nawaz confirmed that the Jaffar Express and the Bolan Mail passenger trains were the intended targets of both attacks. The explosions on the main line led to significant disruption of railway services across the province.
Immediate Aftermath and Security Response
In response to the attacks, railway authorities announced a major shift in security policy. From Saturday onwards, security approval will be mandatory before confirming the schedules of any passenger trains departing from Quetta to other provinces in 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," stated SSP Shahid Nawaz. Amid these heightened security concerns, a special service of the frequently targeted Jaffar Express was permitted to depart for Peshawar on Saturday to manage passenger rush, while normal services awaited official security clearance.
A History of Targeting the Jaffar Express
This is not an isolated event for the Jaffar Express, which has faced multiple attacks this year alone. Insurgents have targeted both the Jaffar Express and the Bolan Mail on at least three occasions in the past two months, though these previous incidents resulted only in track damage and no fatalities.
The most severe attack occurred on March 11, when the train was hijacked in an unprecedented assault. Terrorists opened fire on the locomotive and took nearly 400 passengers hostage. That tragic event resulted in over 20 casualties before security forces successfully rescued the remaining passengers and neutralized 33 insurgents.
The repeated attacks underscore the ongoing security challenges in Balochistan and the persistent threat to critical infrastructure and civilian travel.
