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Arab News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan suspends train services after railway bombing in insurgency-hit Balochistan
QUETTA: Pakistan's railways on Monday suspended all train services to and from an insurgency-hit southwestern province for four days after separatists blew up a railway track, derailing six cars of a passenger train, officials said. No one was harmed in the attack Sunday in Mastung, a district in Balochistan, said railways spokesman Ikram Ullah. Engineers were repairing the damaged track, he said. The Jaffer Express was traveling from Quetta, the provincial capital, to the northern city of Peshawar when assailants targeted it with a bomb, Ullah said. The banned Baloch Liberation Army, in a statement, claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes months after BLA fighters hijacked a train in the same district, killing 21 hostages before security forces were able to kill 33 assailants. The attack came as Pakistan prepares to mark its 78th Independence Day on Aug. 14. Balochistan has long been the scene of insurgency by separatists seeking independence from the central government. The province is also home to militants linked to the Pakistani Taliban. Local administrator Shahid Khan said the government imposed curfews in some areas of the district of Bajaur along the Afghan border in the troubled northwest and advised residents to stay indoors, prompting many to flee to safer places in preparation for a possible security operation against the Pakistani Taliban. Bajaur was once a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, who are known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and the group has resurfaced there. TTP is a separate group but closely allied to the Afghan Taliban.
Associated Press
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Pakistan suspends train services after railway bombing in insurgency-hit Balochistan
QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan's railways on Monday suspended all train services to and from an insurgency-hit southwestern province for four days after separatists blew up a railway track, derailing six cars of a passenger train, officials said. No one was harmed in the attack Sunday in Mastung, a district in Balochistan, said railways spokesman Ikram Ullah. Engineers were repairing the damaged track, he said. The Jaffer Express was traveling from Quetta, the provincial capital, to the northern city of Peshawar when assailants targeted it with a bomb, Ullah said. The banned Baloch Liberation Army, in a statement, claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes months after BLA fighters hijacked a train in the same district, killing 21 hostages before security forces were able to kill 33 assailants. The attack came as Pakistan prepares to mark its 78th Independence Day on Aug. 14. Balochistan has long been the scene of insurgency by separatists seeking independence from the central government. The province is also home to militants linked to the Pakistani Taliban. Local administrator Shahid Khan said the government imposed curfews in some areas of the district of Bajaur along the Afghan border in the troubled northwest and advised residents to stay indoors, prompting many to flee to safer places in preparation for a possible security operation against the Pakistani Taliban. Bajaur was once a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, who are known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and the group has resurfaced there. TTP is a separate group but closely allied to the Afghan Taliban.
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Khaleej Times
Pakistan: Bomb blast derails six train bogies with 350 passengers onboard
No loss of life was reported after a bomb blast on a railway track in Balochistan's Mastung district derailed six bogies of the Jaffar Express, an official said on Sunday, Dawn reported. Muhammad Kashif, public relations officer of the Pakistan Railways' Quetta division, told Dawn, "A bomb attached to the railway track exploded loudly, derailing six bogies of the train. Fortunately, there was no loss of life." The incident occurred near the Spezand station in Mastung's Dasht tehsil, when the train was heading from Quetta to Peshawar City station with 350 passengers on board, the news outlet added. "Security forces and rescue teams rushed to the site as soon as they were alerted about the incident, and began a search operation after cordoning off the area," Kashif said. He further noted, "Four bogies of the Jaffar Express had been placed back on the track, while efforts were underway to restore the other two." A relief train of the Pakistan Railways brought the 350 passengers back to Quetta, while bogies stuck on the track will be returned to the city as well, Kashif said in a later statement, adding that all tickets will be refunded. In a separate statement, Kashif said the services of the Jaffar Express and Bolan Mail were suspended till August 14. The Bolan Mail will resume its operations on August 16 (Saturday), when it will depart from Karachi "in its proper turn" and will arrive in Quetta the next day, he added. This incident comes just three days after the Quetta-bound Jaffar Express narrowly escaped disaster in Balochistan's Sibi, where a bomb planted near the track exploded just after the passenger train passed, Dawn reported. On July 24, a powerful explosion ripped through the Quetta-Sibi rail section, damaging a bogie of the Bolan Mail. A July 28 derailment of the Jaffar Express train in Sindh's Sukkur was initially attributed to an explosion, even by government-run media, but the Ministry of Railways later said a technical fault was the cause. In June, a powerful explosion of a remotely controlled explosive device fitted to rail tracks caused four bogies of the Jaffar Express to derail in Jacobabad. No one was hurt in the incident. In April, the 3UP train heading from Karachi to Quetta was stopped at Jacobabad railway station due to security reasons. Train services between Quetta and the rest of the country were restored on March 27, after they were suspended due to the unprecedented hijacking of the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express earlier that month. The train, travelling from Quetta to Peshawar and carrying 440 passengers, was hijacked near Balochistan's Sibi area on March 11, resulting in the deaths of 21 passengers and four security personnel. "All 33 terrorists" were neutralised during the two-day clearance operation, the military said.
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Times of Oman
Blast derails Jaffar Express bogies in Pakistan's Mastung
QUETTA: A blast on a railway track in Balochistan's Mastung district on Sunday derailed six bogies of the Jaffar Express, though no loss of life was reported, officials said. The explosion occurred near Spezant in Dasht Tehsil, targeting the passenger train and damaging its locomotive along with several coaches, officials confirmed. According to the Levies authorities, an explosive device planted on the track detonated as the train passed, forcing the engine and five bogies off the rails. The sudden jolt brought the Jaffar Express to an abrupt halt. Rescue teams and railway staff quickly arrived at the scene to evacuate passengers and ensure their safety. Security forces sealed off the area and launched a search operation to track down those responsible for the sabotage. Officials said the explosives were locally manufactured, highlighting persistent security concerns in the province. The Jaffar Express, which operates between Quetta and Rawalpindi, has previously been the target of similar attacks. A formal investigation has been initiated, and in the aftermath of the blast, security measures were heightened across the region. Train services from Balochistan to other parts of the country were temporarily suspended. The latest attack comes just three days after the Quetta-bound Jaffar Express narrowly dodged disaster in Sibi, where a bomb planted near the track exploded moments after the passenger train had passed. On July 24, another close shave occurred when a powerful blast tore through the Quetta Sibi rail section, damaging a bogie of the Bolan Mail. Similarly, the July 28 derailment of the Jaffar Express in Sindh's Sukkur was initially blamed on an explosion. However, the Ministry of Railways later attributed it to a technical fault. In June, a remotely detonated explosive device fitted to the tracks caused four bogies of the Jaffar Express to derail in Jacobabad. No injuries were reported in that incident. Back in April, the 3UP train from Karachi to Quetta was halted at Jacobabad railway station due to security threats. Train services between Quetta and the rest of the country were only restored on March 27 after being suspended earlier that month due to the unprecedented hijacking of the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express.
Arab News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Army major among three soldiers killed in Balochistan blast, four militants slain in counterstrike
ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan Army major was among three soldiers killed when their vehicle was targeted by an improvised explosive device in Balochistan's Mastung district, the military said late Wednesday night, adding that security forces later killed four militants in a retaliatory operation. Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, is strategically important due to its mineral wealth and its role as a transit hub for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). However, the province has long been gripped by a separatist insurgency, with groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) ramping up attacks in recent years. Islamabad calls these outfits proxies of Indian intelligence, branding them 'Fitna-e-Hindustan,' India's mischief, though the charge is denied by New Delhi. 'On night 5/6 August 2025, terrorists belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Hindustan, targeted a Security Forces' vehicle with an improvised explosive device in Mastung District,' the Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. 'Resultantly, three brave sons of soil; Maj Muhammad Rizwan Tahir (31, Narowal), Naik Ibni Amin (37, Swabi), and Lance Naik Muhammad Younas (33, Karak), paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat [martyrdom].' The army said Major Tahir was a decorated officer who had led numerous counterterrorism missions from the front. A subsequent 'sanitization operation' in the area led to the killing of four 'Indian-sponsored terrorists,' the statement added. The military said its operation in the area was still continuing, vowing to eliminate all threats. 'Such sacrifices further strengthen our resolve to wipe out the menace of Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country,' the ISPR added. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack in a statement, paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, and lauded the military's swift response. 'Security forces are standing like a wall in defense of the nation,' he said, adding the country remains committed to eradicating militancy and extremism in all its forms. Balochistan has seen a string of high-profile militant attacks this year. In March, the BLA hijacked a passenger train, and in May, a suicide bombing in Khuzdar killed several children after targeting their school bus. Security forces, civilians and non-local workers are frequently targeted in coordinated attacks across the province.
