Jaffar Express attacked again: Massive explosion derails multiple coaches of Quetta-bound passenger train

A powerful explosion struck the Jaffar Express on Tuesday near the Sultankot area close to the Sindh–Balochistan border, derailing multiple coaches of the Quetta-bound passenger train, PTI reported.

According to railway officials, six bogies of the Jaffar Express, which was travelling from Peshawar to Quetta, derailed after the blast. One coach overturned, and several passengers sustained injuries.

“Six bogies of the Jaffar Express derailed after the blast and one of them overturned,” a senior Pakistan Railways official told Dawn, adding that five passengers were injured in the incident.

Security forces and local police rushed to the site immediately after the explosion and transferred the injured to a nearby health facility. Officials confirmed that 270 passengers were aboard the Jaffar Express at the time of the blast. Rail services on the damaged section of the track will remain suspended until repairs are completed following a security clearance.

The injured passengers of the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express, which has been attacked multiple times this year, were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital.

The explosion occurred near Somarwah, close to Sultan Kot in the Shikarpur district of Sindh.

A rescue operation is underway at the site, police said.

Heavy contingents of police and paramilitary forces have cordoned off the area and begun collecting evidence to determine the nature of the explosion.

Initial reports suggested that the railway track sustained significant damage.

Second Blast in 10 Hours Near Sindh–Balochistan Border

The latest attack was the second explosion in the same area within 10 hours, highlighting a disturbing rise in militant strikes targeting Pakistan’s railway network. Earlier on Tuesday morning, another blast occurred near the main track linking Balochistan to the rest of the country just as the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express was preparing to depart from Quetta Railway Station.

The morning incident briefly halted the train service before it resumed following a security clearance, as the track was not damaged. However, the evening explosion — believed to be caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) planted on the track — inflicted significant damage as the Quetta-bound train was passing through the Spizend area, officials said.

Baloch Insurgents Suspected Behind Latest Blast

Authorities suspect that ethnic Baloch insurgent groups, including the Baloch Liberation Army, are behind the repeated attacks on the Jaffar Express — one of Pakistan’s most frequently targeted passenger trains. The group has long been active in Balochistan, where it has carried out bombings, derailments, and ambushes against security forces and infrastructure projects.

The repeated assaults on the Jaffar Express highlight the growing threat to civilian infrastructure in Pakistan’s restive provinces and underscore the urgent need for enhanced rail security and intelligence coordination.