Pakistan: Powerful blast strikes railway track in Sindh’s Shikarpur; multiple coaches of Jaffar Express derail
PTC Web Desk: Multiple coaches of the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express were derailed on Tuesday after a blast struck a railway track in Sindh’s Shikarpur district near Somarwah, leaving several passengers injured. Rescue operations are currently underway at the site, according to reports.
This incident comes weeks after six bogies of the same train were derailed in Balochistan, highlighting the ongoing threats to Pakistan’s rail network. The Jaffar Express, running between Quetta and Peshawar, has been repeatedly targeted over the past year.
In March, the train was hijacked by militants of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), resulting in the deaths of 21 passengers and four security personnel. Pakistani forces later eliminated all 33 terrorists involved in the attack and rescued hundreds of passengers.
Subsequent attacks included a June blast in Jacobabad that derailed four coaches and another in Mastung on August 10 that injured several passengers after six coaches went off the tracks. In August, a pilot engine sent ahead for track clearance was also fired upon, an attack claimed by the BLA.
Authorities have intensified security measures along the Quetta-Peshawar route to prevent further attacks.
- With inputs from agencies
