Quetta: The Jaffar Express was attacked again near the Sindh-Balochistan border on Tuesday morning by Baloch rebels. The train was en route to Quetta from Peshawar when the tracks were blown up, causing several coaches to derail.
Initial reports claim several injuries. It is however not known whether those injured are soldiers or civilians. The Pakistan Army uses this train to move troops between Quetta and Peshawar.
The full extent of the damage and the number of casualties remains unclear. According to Pakistani media, first responders are at the scene conducting relief efforts, with medical teams treating the wounded and officials investigating the source of the attack.
The daily train has been targeted multiple times over recent months, underscoring persistent security challenges in the region.
The Jaffar Express was hijacked by the rebels from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) between Pehro Kunri and Mushkaf in Balochistan in March this year. They sabotaged the tracks with explosives, derailed coaches, opened fire, and took hostages.
The train was then carrying around 400 passengers, including a large number of soldiers. The rebels claimed to have killed a large number of Pakistani soldiers during this attack. Civilians were released though. At least 16 rebels were killed in retaliatory strikes by the Pakistan Army.
Services were suspended for a while after that attack. It later resumed with enhanced security measures. However, a bomb blast derailed six coaches near Jacobabad (Sindh Province) in June. No immediate casualties were reported in that strike.
The Balochis have been demanding independence for long. They have claimed repression by Pakistani forces and their agents. A large number of Balochi intellectuals, activists and journalists have been killed over the last few years. The BLA has also warned Pakistan against exploiting the region’s rich mineral deposits or using the Gwadar port.
A few days ago, Pakistan claimed that it has shipped rare earth minerals, mined from Balochistan, to the US.
