An improvised explosive device (IED) blast derailed five coaches of the Peshawar-bound Jafar Express near Spezand Railway Station in Balochistan’s Mastung district on Sunday, injuring four passengers, according to Pakistan Railways officials. The explosion, which occurred around 25 km from Quetta shortly after the train’s 9 a.m. departure, marks the latest in a series of attacks targeting the 1,632-km Quetta-Peshawar route.

Rescue teams, including railway staff, were swiftly dispatched, and a relief train transported stranded passengers back to Quetta. Security forces cordoned off the area, with a bomb disposal squad clearing the site. All injuries were reported as minor, and no fatalities occurred. Federal Railways Minister Muhammad Hanif Abbasi condemned the attack, calling it a “cowardly act” and vowing that such incidents would not weaken Pakistan’s resolve.

The Jafar Express has faced repeated assaults this year. On August 7, a blast near Sibi railway station narrowly missed the train, while on August 4, gunmen fired at its pilot engine near Kolpur, with the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claiming responsibility. A March 2025 BLA attack hijacked the train near Bolan Pass, killing 21 passengers and four security personnel, with 214 captives executed after demands for Baloch prisoners’ release were unmet. A June blast in Jacobabad derailed four coaches without casualties.

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Balochistan’s rail infrastructure remains vulnerable amid separatist insurgency. The BLA, seeking Baloch independence, often targets trains carrying military personnel, viewing them as symbols of state control. Social media posts on X reflect local unrest, with some alleging foreign backing for such attacks, though no group has claimed Sunday’s blast.

Pakistan Railways has suspended services until the track is repaired, with investigations ongoing to identify the perpetrators. The recurring attacks underscore the persistent security challenges in Balochistan’s volatile regions.

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