Deadly Blast Rocks Pakistan’s Rail Network Again
Pakistan’s fragile railway infrastructure was once again struck by violence on Tuesday when a powerful blast ripped through a railway track, derailing five bogies of the Jaffar Express in the Shikarpur district of Sindh province. The explosion left at least seven people injured and caused extensive damage to the track, officials from the Railway Police confirmed.
The Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express, one of Pakistan’s busiest passenger trains running between Quetta and Peshawar, has been a repeated target of insurgent attacks in recent months. Rescue teams swiftly arrived at the scene near Somarwah, close to Sultan Kot, rushing the injured to nearby hospitals as paramilitary and police units cordoned off the area.
Officials have begun collecting forensic evidence to determine the type and origin of the explosive device, though early indications point to a remotely detonated IED planted on the railway line.
Baloch Republican Guards Claim Responsibility
Within hours of the incident, the Baloch Republican Guards (BRG), a Baloch separatist group, claimed responsibility for the bombing. In a statement, the group said its “freedom fighters” had targeted the Jaffar Express using a remote-controlled explosion near Sultan Kot.
The BRG’s spokesperson alleged that Pakistani soldiers were traveling aboard the train and vowed to continue such operations “until Balochistan’s independence.” The claim aligns with a broader pattern of insurgent violence in Pakistan’s southwestern regions, where separatist groups have intensified their attacks on security convoys, infrastructure, and civilian transport.
Authorities have yet to confirm whether any soldiers were on board, but the language of the BRG’s statement mirrors past militant claims made by other Baloch insurgent outfits, including the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has also targeted the Jaffar Express.
A Train Under Siege: A Series of Attacks
The Jaffar Express has become an unfortunate symbol of Pakistan’s growing internal security crisis. It has been attacked at least five times in the last eight months, often in Balochistan and Sindh—regions plagued by separatist unrest.
· September 2025: A blast in Dasht, Mastung, destroyed one coach and derailed six others, injuring 12 passengers.
· August 10: An IED explosion in Mastung left four people injured and derailed six coaches.
· August 4: A pilot engine sent for track clearance came under gunfire near Kolpur, an attack later claimed by the BLA.
· June 2025: A bomb blast in Jacobabad district derailed four coaches; no fatalities were reported.
· March 11: The worst attack—a hijacking incident—claimed 26 lives, including security personnel. Security forces later killed 33 militants in a counter-operation and rescued 354 hostages.
These recurring strikes expose the persistent vulnerability of Pakistan’s railway system, which is often seen as a soft target by militant groups.
Pattern of Rail Sabotage in Pakistan
Railway bombings are not new to Pakistan. In 2023, a similar explosion on a track in Sibi, Balochistan, killed three railway workers. In 2019, twin blasts near Dera Murad Jamali derailed freight trains but spared passengers. The Baloch insurgency, which began in the early 2000s, has since expanded its attacks to include energy pipelines, rail lines, and communication networks, seeking to disrupt the state’s economic lifelines.
A Crisis of Security and Stability
The repeated targeting of the Jaffar Express underscores Pakistan’s struggle to contain domestic militancy, particularly in the restive provinces of Sindh and Balochistan. Analysts warn that unless Islamabad strengthens intelligence coordination and rail security, such attacks could deepen public fear and disrupt economic connectivity across provinces.
As rescue and forensic teams continue work at the blast site, the latest attack serves as a grim reminder that Pakistan’s internal insurgencies remain far from resolved. The government now faces renewed pressure to protect vital transport routes and address the political roots of Baloch unrest, which, if left unaddressed, threatens to derail more than just trains—it risks derailing peace and progress itself.
(With agency inputs)
