Shikarpur, Sindh:
At least seven people were injured on Tuesday after a blast on a railway track derailed four carriages (bogies) of the Jaffer Express in the Shikarpur district of Sindh province, according to local officials. The incident is being investigated as part of a rising trend of attacks targeting Pakistan’s transport infrastructure.
Shakeel Abro, Shikarpur Deputy Commissioner, confirmed the details, stating, “A blast had occurred on the train tracks at 8:15 am. The incident occurred at a distance of 1km from the Sultan Kot railway station.” He added that the force of the explosion caused the derailment of four bogies of the Quetta-bound train.
The injured passengers were quickly moved for treatment: four were taken to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), while the remaining three were transferred to the Civil Hospital in Shikarpur.
The incident is particularly concerning as Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks over the past few years, with Balochistan frequently seeing militants blowing up train tracks. The objective appears to be the disruption of transport and communication lines across the country.
Syed Moalim, Sukkur Deputy Divisional Superintendent, noted that the blast occurred while the train was in motion. Railway officials immediately dispatched a crane to the site to re-rail the damaged carriages and begin repair work on the track.
Mohsin Ali Sial, Sukkur Divisional Transport Officer (DTO), confirmed that “passengers were being taken to nearby stations so that work could commence on repairing the track.”
Shahzeb Chachar, Shikarpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), added that the single track targeted is used by trains travelling to and from Quetta via Jacobabad. Police in both Jacobabad and Shikarpur have launched a concerted effort to trace the culprits responsible for the blast.
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah strongly condemned the incident and has sought an immediate report from the Sindh police inspector general. He further directed the Larkana commissioner to ensure all necessary medical assistance is provided to the injured passengers.
The attack follows a similar incident in August, where six bogies of the Jaffer Express derailed after a bomb blast on a railway track in Balochistan’s Mastung district, although no casualties were reported then. The continuity of these attacks underscores the persistent threat to Pakistan’s vital railway network.
