In Quetta, Pakistan, insurgents launched an attack on a passenger train in the volatile region of Balochistan province, injuring the train’s driver. Security guards aboard the train responded by returning fire, according to official statements.
The incident took place in the Bolan district as the train was on its route from Quetta, the provincial capital, to Peshawar in the northern part of the country, explained government spokesperson Shahid Rind. Following the driver’s injury, the train halted in a remote area of Bolan. Reinforcements were dispatched to address the ongoing situation, although further details regarding the train and passenger conditions remained undisclosed.
The separatist group Baloch Liberation Army, known for its prolonged insurgency in Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack. Representatives of Pakistan Railways conveyed that the Jafar Express train was transporting approximately 400 passengers at the time of the assault.
Train journeys through Balochistan often include security personnel because of past attacks by separatists targeting trains and security forces alike. A previous attack by the same group occurred in November, when a suicide bombing at a Quetta train station resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals, including security workers, railway staff, and civilians.
Balochistan holds significant natural resources, being rich in oil and minerals, yet it is Pakistan’s largest and least densely populated province. The region is home to the ethnic Baloch minority, who claim to suffer from ongoing discrimination and exploitation by the national government.
