QUETTA, Pakistan – In a brazen act of sabotage, unidentified assailants struck again in Pakistan’s volatile Balochistan province, targeting a key railway line on Wednesday. The explosion rocked the Notal area of Nasirabad district, close to the national highway, where bombers used improvised explosives to rip apart sections of the track.
Fortunately, no train was passing through at the moment of the blast, sparing lives and preventing a potential catastrophe. Police confirmed no casualties, but the damage disrupted rail services temporarily as repair crews rushed to the scene. Security forces swiftly cordoned off the area, launching a manhunt for the perpetrators.
This incident underscores the persistent security threats plaguing Balochistan’s infrastructure. Just last month, a similar bombing near Dera Murad Jamali damaged tracks and neutralized another device aimed at the Jaffar Express. Investigations are underway, with authorities vowing swift justice.
The pattern of attacks is alarming. In November, gunmen fired on the Jaffar Express in the Bolan Pass, met with return fire from onboard security. October saw seven injured in a Sindh blast targeting the same train. Most notoriously, in March last year, the Baloch Liberation Army’s Majeed Brigade hijacked the Jaffar Express, holding over 400 hostages for more than a day after derailing it in the Bolan Pass, claiming to have killed 20 security personnel.
Balochistan remains a hotspot for separatist insurgency, with groups like BLA frequently targeting transport networks to cripple Pakistan’s economy and assert control. Railway officials are working around the clock to restore the line, but the repeated strikes highlight the urgent need for bolstered countermeasures. As probes deepen, the nation watches closely for breakthroughs in countering this cycle of violence.