Jaffar Express: Resilient Amid Adversity in Balochistan

The Jaffar Express train in Pakistan's Balochistan narrowly avoided an explosion just after resuming service post a security-related suspension. The insurgent-planted explosives damaged rail tracks but spared the train. Authorities are bolstering security efforts as insurgent attacks, including a deadly March hijacking, have repeatedly targeted the train.

The Jaffar Express, a passenger train traversing Pakistan's Balochistan province, narrowly evaded destruction from an explosive device on Sunday. This incident occurred a mere day after its operations resumed, following their suspension for nearly a week due to heightened security threats.

Insurgents had set the explosives on the railway track near the Nasirabad area, a place where the train had previously faced deadly attacks. Though the explosion damaged parts of the track, the train itself emerged unscathed, albeit with services halted temporarily for safety checks and repairs.

With security forces rapidly deployed to search for the insurgents, Nasirabad's Senior Superintendent of Police, Ghulam Sarwar, noted the vulnerability of the remote terrains the train travels through. As safety measures intensify, the train's history of repeated attacks, including a tragic hijacking in March, remains a critical concern.

(With inputs from agencies.)