Karachi: Suspected insurgents detonated explosives in an attempt to attack two trains, including the frequently targeted Jaffar Express, in Pakistan’s restive Baluchistan province, damaging rail lines 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 Dasht area caused more damage.
“Both the Jaffar Express and Bolan Mail passenger trains were targeted,” he said.
Rail services were disrupted after the tracks on the main line were damaged due to the explosions.
Nawaz said security approval would be given from Saturday before confirming the timetables of passenger trains from Quetta to other provinces of Pakistan.
“Safety and security of passengers is paramount for us and special security measures are being taken for all Quetta passenger trains,” he said.
A special Jaffar Express train service to Peshawar was allowed to depart on Saturday due to security concerns.
A railway official said the Jaffar Express special service was run to handle the rush of passengers while normal services await security clearance.
This is not the first time that insurgents have attacked the Jaffar Express and its service has already been hit several times this year.
Insurgents have attacked 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 opened fire on the locomotive and took nearly 400 passengers hostage.
More than 20 people were killed in the attack, while security forces rescued others and killed 33 insurgents.
