Lahore: Pakistan Railways on Sunday suspended the Jaffar Express for three days amid security threats after another attack on the passenger train which runs between Quetta and Peshawar.
At least five people were injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) blast targeted the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express in Mastung district of Pakistan’s Balochistan province. Five coaches were derailed, according to Pakistan Railway officials.
On Sunday, the Jaffar Express was struck by a blast near the Spezand Railway Station, derailing five coaches, The Express Tribune reported. All five passengers sustained minor injuries, and rescue teams, including railway staff, were immediately dispatched to the site.
The Jaffar Express will remain suspended on August 11, 13 and 14. The Bolan Mail, which operates between Karachi and Quetta, will, also remain suspended till August 15, Pakistani media reported.
The Jaffar Express has been a target of terrorists for quite some time.
On March 11, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the Jaffar Express, carrying over 400 passengers.
The Baloch rebel group said 21 civilians and 4 security troops were killed, while the Pakistan Army claimed that security forces killed all 33 rebels, including suicide bombers.
Last week, the Jaffar Express narrowly escaped major disaster when a bomb planted near the track close to Sibi railway station exploded just after the passenger train had passed, according to Dawn. A portion of the railway track was blown up in the blast, but the train remained unharmed.