Repeat Explosions Target Jafar Express: A Trail of Terror in Balochistan
The Jafar Express in Pakistan's Balochistan province was derailed by an improvised explosive device, injuring four. Amidst a series of such attacks, the train's services are suspended. Security measures are heightened as rescue operations continue and investigations into the perpetrators, believed to be Baloch separatist groups, are underway.
An improvised explosive device derailed six coaches of the Peshawar-bound Jafar Express, injuring four people, in Balochistan's Mastung district on Sunday. Officials confirmed that there were no fatalities in this latest assault on the train service.
The explosion, which occurred near Spezand Railway Station roughly 25 kilometers from Quetta, struck shortly after the train left at 9 a.m. with 350 passengers. "A bomb attached to the track exploded, derailing six bogies," stated Muhammad Kashif, a public relations officer for Pakistan Railways' Quetta division. Luckily, no lives were lost, but passengers suffered minor injuries.
Security forces and police secured the area while a bomb disposal squad worked to clear the scene. Rescue operations were swift, with a relief train deployed for the stranded passengers. Services of the Jafar Express and Bolan Mail are temporarily suspended. Attacks on the Jafar Express have been recurrent, with past incidents attributed to Baloch terrorist groups.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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