At least four passengers were injured on Tuesday when an explosion on a railway track near Sultan Kot, close to Shikarpur, derailed four coaches of the Jaffar Express travelling from Peshawar to Quetta, police and railway officials said.
According to security sources, the explosion occurred as the train was passing by the Sultan Kot station. The injured passengers were taken to a nearby hospital for initial medical treatment.
A spokesperson for Pakistan Railways said rescue teams had been dispatched to the site, while train operations in the area were temporarily suspended.
The incident caused fear and panic among passengers and residents nearby.
Read: Jaffar Express service remains suspended
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar took notice of the blast and sought a detailed report from the Shikarpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). He directed law enforcement agencies to launch an immediate investigation into the incident.
Lanjar said those responsible for damaging the railway track would be brought to justice and emphasised the importance of strong evidence and coordinated efforts to trace and arrest the perpetrators. He instructed officials to keep him updated on the progress of the investigation.
Read more: Jaffar Express resumes service after track repairs
Jaffar Express resumed operations last week on the Quetta–Peshawar route, five days after services had been suspended following a bomb blast that damaged the railway track and bridge near Spezand on September 23.
Railway officials said the suspension was imposed after terrorists blew up a section of the line, injuring several passengers and disrupting train operations along the route. They confirmed that repair and restoration work on the damaged infrastructure had since been completed, allowing services to restart.
The explosion occurred between Degari Cross Speedent and Sariab Railway Stations, derailing the engine and five coaches of the Peshawar-bound train. Authorities believed the blast took place 30 to 45 minutes before the train reached the site.
Officials said the device was an improvised explosive planted near the track, which detonated as the train passed, leaving several passengers, including women and children, injured.
Following the blast, both the Jaffar Express and Bolan Express services from Quetta were cancelled, with passengers receiving full refunds. Relief operations were immediately launched, involving heavy machinery to clear the wreckage, realign the overturned coaches, and repair the track.
An investigation into the incident was initiated. Earlier in March, terrorists had hijacked the Jaffar Express carrying over 400 passengers, resulting in the deaths of 21 people before clearance operations could begin.
