Explosion on Quetta railway track causes Jaffar Express derailment

Another attack targeted the Jaffar Express, which derailed following an explosion near Spezand in Quetta, Balochistan. Railway officials stated the blast occurred as the train was passing through the area, injuring one passenger.

The explosion caused five coaches to derail, and a relief train was dispatched from Quetta railway station to assist.

This attack follows the March 11 ambush on the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express, carrying 440 passengers, during which several hostages were taken. A two-day security operation was launched to neutralize the threat and rescue the captives.

The train had resumed service on March 27 after a 16-day suspension due to a previous attack by the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

Jaffar Express departed from Peshawar to Quetta, with Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Engineer Amir Muqam, seeing off passengers with special prayers.

In a media briefing, DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that all 33 terrorists involved in the earlier attack were killed, while 21 passengers and 4 FC personnel lost their lives.

DG ISPR. Lt. General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said an IED explosion targeted the Jaffar Express around 1 PM on March 11, forcing the train to stop.

He said the BLA attackers, divided into multiple groups, first launched an assault on a nearby FC post, martyring three soldiers.

Subsequently, one group held women and children hostage inside the train, while others forced passengers to disembark and gathered them on the ground.

DG ISPR revealed that the passenger train incident occurred in a highly challenging and remote area, which complicated the security operation.