NASIRABAD: At least four people were killed and 10 others received injuries in a targetted attack on Jaffar Express near Dera Murad Jamali, Nasirabad district of Balochistan on Sunday.
“Jaffar Express was going from Rawalpindi to Quetta when attacked,” it was reported.
According to police, the passenger train was targetted when it reached Dera Murad Jamali. The improvised explosive device that was used to target the train also damaged a portion of the track. As per the bomb disposal squad, the blast was carried out through a remote-controlled device using around 10 kg explosive material.
The deceased included Noor Bano and her daughter Saadia Bibi; Tahir; and Shahzad Khan. The injured included Muhammad Javed, Gulab Khan, Ali Asghar, Suleman Shah, Deedar Ali Shah, Saira Bibi and others.
The victims hailed from different areas of Punjab and Balochistan including Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Quetta and Dera Allah Yar.
The bodies and injured were shifted to hospital and the railway authorities started work to repair the destroyed track. The blast had damaged a 255 feet patch of the railway track.
The security forces cordoned off the area after the explosion and conducted a search operation.
Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan Alyani and Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed strongly condemned the incident and vowed that those involved in this crime would be brought to justice.
It was the second train attack in two weeks in the area. No casualties were reported in the earlier blast, said another police officer.
Balochistan is an important part of transport and energy projects that form part of China’s Belt and Road initiative, which has brought $57 billion of investment to Pakistan.
Violence in the province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has fuelled concern about security for the investment, in particular an energy link planned to run from western China to Pakistan’s southern port of Gwadar.