Federal Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique vowed to provide complete security to passengers and a comprehensive security plan was devised to counter incidents similar to Friday’s rocket attack on a train.
Addressing a press conference at the Railways Headquarters on Saturday, Rafique said the government was neither in favour of any operation in Balochistan nor for the supremacy of the army in the province. However, he said that the government was keen to resolve the issue through dialogue, adding that this approach should not be treated as a weakness.
He warned that the government would respond to one rocket attack with 10, and one step backward by anyone would elicit a governmental response of 10 steps in the same direction.
Furthermore, Rafique said the government did not want to involve the army in its internal matters as the latter’s duty was to guard Pakistan’s frontiers. He said the government would not bow down to the power of a gun and anyone thinking differently was severely mistaken.
Moreover, Rafique announced a compensation of Rs 500,000, each, for those martyred in the Jaffar Express incident while Rs 200,000, each, and promotions to the rank of ASI would be given to the jawans injured in the incident. He said Rs 50,000, each, would be given as awards to railway’s technical staff that changed the locomotive amidst the firing, saving the lives of 600 passengers.
He said the firing incident took place 50 km from Quetta. He thanked the Balochistan government and the FC’s Commander who saved the lives of many passengers by supporting the Railway police. He said that 20 jawans of the Railways and FC took action against miscreants who wanted to kill every passenger onboard.
Rafique added that a search operation to arrest the miscreants involved was launched during which eight armed individuals were killed.
He said the Jaffar Express would continue to operate and the authorities would not be afraid of the terrorists.
