Another day, another blow to Pakistan’s rail network in restive Balochistan. Assailants detonated a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) on the main railway track in Nasirabad’s Notal region Wednesday, partially destroying the line just as the Jaffar Express from Peshawar approached Quetta – but detonating prematurely.
Local reports detail how the blast, planted near the national highway, caused no loss of life since no train was in the vicinity. Rail traffic halted briefly while engineers assessed and began repairs on the mangled section. Police and paramilitary units descended on the site, securing the perimeter and initiating wide-ranging searches.
This follows a string of brazen assaults. Last month in Dera Murad Jamali, a bomb ripped tracks apart, with cops defusing a second. November brought gunfire on the Jaffar Express at Aab-e-Gum in Bolan Pass, repelled by guards. In October’s Sindh incident near Shikarpur, seven were wounded when explosives hit the Quetta-bound train a kilometer from Sultan Kot station.
The March 2024 hijacking by BLA’s Majeed Brigade stands out: they blew the track in Dhabbar, Bolan Pass, seizing the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express with 400+ aboard, holding it for over 24 hours and allegedly executing 20 troops after ID checks.
Experts see these as coordinated efforts by Baloch militants to disrupt connectivity and draw attention to grievances over resource exploitation. With repairs ongoing and investigations launched, Pakistani forces face mounting pressure to dismantle these networks before more lives hang in the balance. The resilience of the rail system is tested, but vulnerabilities persist in this strategic corridor.
