• Railway officials link resumption of service to ‘security clearance’ after repairs within days
• Rs5.2m compensation announced for victims’ families
LAHORE: Train services to and from Balochistan, which were suspended after the attack on Jaffar Express, are likely to be resumed by next weekend, according to senior officials of Pakistan Railways.
The engineers of Pakistan Railways have been asked to complete the repair and maintenance work on the track within the next three days. The railway authorities in Quetta have decided to send passenger coaches and locomotives damaged in the attack to Lahore for repair work.
The terrorists used explosives to stop the train and also sprayed bullets from both sides, breaking window glasses and causing other damages as well, Dawn has learnt.
“The Jaffar Express had nine coaches and a locomotive. Three of them were derailed by the terrorists through blasts while bullet holes pierced the body of the remaining coaches,” a senior railway official explained while talking to Dawn on Saturday.
Bullet marks are also visible on the locomotive as well as all coaches, said the officials who wished not to be named.
“The train’s rake (set of coaches), including those damaged due to derailment, would be sent to the Mughalpura workshop in Lahore for repair,” they disclosed.
Asked about damages to the track and other infrastructure, the officer said a 600m stretch of railway track was damaged due to blasts and derailment.
According to him, the cost of damage to the infrastructure is being assessed.
He said engineers had started the repair and maintenance work of the track after removing the rolling stock. Work would take two to three days to complete, he added.
“Hopefully, we will make the track ready for operations within the next three days.”
The official said that after the repairs, the train operation will be resumed “if security agencies give us clearance”.
On Saturday, the authorities cancelled the departure of Business Express and Karachi Express from Lahore due to the meagre number of passengers. Those having bookings on these trains were accommodated on other trains.
Likewise, the authorities also cancelled the departure of Jaffar Express from Lahore as train operations to and from Balochistan remained suspended. The passengers having booking in Jaffar Express have been asked to get a refund from the reservation offices.
Compensation announced
While addressing a presser at Pakistan Railways headquarters on Saturday, Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi announced a compensation package of Rs5.2 million for the families of the victims of the recent Jaffar Express train attack in Balochistan, along with jobs for their children in his ministry.
He said the train tragedy left the government and security agencies with no option but to launch a massive operation.
He regretted, “Our own people in Balochistan and KP in a bid to earn money have become facilitators of the terrorists protected by our enemy countries.”
“So keeping in view this, it has been decided whosoever involved in terrorism in Pakistan will be eliminated,” he asserted.
“Why India is operating nearly 22 missions / consulates in Afghanistan alone along the Durand line. They are sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan through their local facilitators,” he maintained.
Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2025
