Gunmen open fire on express train in Pakistan’s Balochistan
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. The group is banned in Pakistan, the UK and the US
Karachi: Unidentified gunmen opened fire on an express train in Pakistan’s troubled Balochistan province on Tuesday, injuring several passengers, local media reports said.
The attack on the Jaffer Express passenger train took place near Ab-e-Gum area of Mach Town in Balochistan’s Kachhi district, where around six armed men opened fire on the train, spreading panic among passengers.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack. The group is banned in Pakistan, the UK and the US. According to initial reports, multiple travellers were wounded in the attack. Rescue teams and security forces have reached the scene, and an operation is underway to track down the assailants.
Railway officials confirmed that the train’s driver sustained serious injuries, and an emergency relief train has been dispatched to assist. “There are reports of intense firing at a Jaffar Express, which was heading from Quetta to Peshawar, between Pehro Kunri and Gadalar,” Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said.
A provincial government statement said an emergency was imposed at Sibi hospital and ambulances and security forces were on their way to the site.
In October last year, Pakistan Railways announced the restoration of train services between Quetta and Peshawar after a suspension of more than a month and a half. Balochistan has witnessed an uptick in terrorist attacks over the past year.
In November 2024, at least 26 people were killed and 62 injured after a suicide blast ripped through a Quetta Railway Station. The oil and mineral-rich Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest but least populated province.
Balochistan, bordering Iran and Afghanistan, is home to a long-running violent insurgency. Baloch insurgent groups frequently carry out attacks targeting security personnel, government projects and the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in the region.