Track Explosion Near Shikarpur Derails Jaffar Express, Six Injured
SHIKARPUR: At least six passengers were injured after a track explosion near Shikarpur derailed the Jaffar Express on Monday. The train, which was travelling from Rawalpindi to Quetta, was hit by a powerful blast when explosives planted on the railway track detonated near Sultan Kot railway station in Sindh’s Shikarpur district.
According to officials, five bogies of the Jaffar Express went off the tracks following the explosion. The injured passengers were shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, and their condition is reported to be out of danger.
Security sources have stated that the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is suspected of being behind the railway line explosion. Police and law enforcement agencies immediately cordoned off the area and launched an investigation to collect evidence from the scene. The incident has once again raised concerns about the security of Pakistan’s railway routes.
Following the explosion, railway traffic was temporarily suspended, and relief teams were dispatched from Sukkur to carry out rescue operations. Teams are engaged in removing the derailed bogies and repairing the damaged track section to restore train services.
The Federal Minister for Railways has taken notice of the incident and ordered an immediate inquiry, directing that a detailed report be submitted within 24 hours. Authorities have pledged to strengthen safety protocols and review surveillance measures along sensitive railway lines.
It may be recalled that the Jaffar Express was also involved in a similar incident on September 23, when three of its coaches derailed after a blast on the railway track. The recurrence of such incidents has prompted serious questions over the security and monitoring system of Pakistan Railways.
The Jaffar Express derailment near Shikarpur has once again highlighted the growing threat to the country’s transport infrastructure, with experts urging authorities to adopt stricter preventive measures to ensure passenger safety.
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