Blast derails Jaffar Express in Balochistan, no injuries

Balochistan

Six coaches of Pakistan’s Jaffar Express derailed on Wednesday after a powerful explosion hit the railway track near Jacobabad in Sindh province. The train was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar when the blast occurred.

According to police officials, the explosion created a three-foot-deep crater and damaged around six feet of track. Authorities believe the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) placed along the railway line.

Fortunately, no casualties were reported, and all passengers were safely evacuated. Video footage shared online showed families, including children, retrieving belongings from the derailed coaches.

Railway officials confirmed that the area has been secured and a formal investigation is underway.

The Baloch Republican Guards, a separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attack. Their spokesperson, Dosteen Baloch, said the bomb was detonated remotely and warned of future attacks, accusing the Pakistani military of using the train to transport personnel.

The same group also claimed responsibility for an attack on Reko Diq project containers in Balochistan.

This is not the first attack on the Jaffar Express. In March, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the same train near Quetta. That incident ended with over two dozen security personnel dead and hundreds of hostages rescued following a military operation.

The repeated targeting of the Jaffar Express underscores the ongoing unrest in Balochistan and the rising threat posed by separatist groups. Despite the derailment, Wednesday’s incident concluded without any injuries or fatalities.