Pakistan: 12 people injured as Jaffar Express derails after blast in Balochistan

Quetta, Sep 24: As many as 12 people, including women and children, were injured after the Jaf­far Express passenger train heading to Quetta was targetted in a bomb blast in the Spizend area of Mas­tung in Pakistan’s Balochistan, local media reported on Wednesday.

Six bogies of the train on its way from Peshawar to Quetta derailed after the blast and one overturned, causing injuries to the passengers, according to railway officials, Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn reported.

It was the second blast that took place in the same area within 10 hours. An explosion took place on Tuesday morning near the main track connecting Balochistan to other parts of Pakistan, just like the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express was preparing to leave Quetta Railway Station. The train was stopped for sometime. However, it was allowed to operate after security clearance, as the track was not damaged.

According to police officials, an explosive device planted on the track was detonated when the train heading to Quetta was passing through the Spizend area.

Following the blast, security forces and pol­ice reached the site of the incident and took the injured people to nearby health facility. The railway officials stated the train was carrying 270 passengers at the time of the blast. They said the damaged part of the track would be repaired following security clearance on Wednesday, during which train operations will remain disrupted.

Earlier this year, the Jaffar Express passenger train on its way from Balochistan’s capital Quetta to Peshawar, was hijacked by the Baloch Liberation Army’s (BLA) Majeed Brigade with over 400 people taken as hostages.

The train was forced to come to a halt on March 11 after blowing off the track in the Dhabar area of Bolan Pass in Balochistan. Security forces and the railway authorities had confirmed that the train had come under attack near Tunnel No. 8 of the Bolan pass. The standoff ended after more than 24 hours with the BLA claiming to have killed at least 20 of the abducted security personnel after checking their IDs.

IANS