Pakistan Railways has announced a three-day suspension of two major passenger trains following another attack on the Jaffar Express in Balochistan.

Which Trains Are Affected

The Jaffar Express — a key route between Quetta and Peshawar — will not operate on August 11, 13, and 14. Specifically:

• August 11: Quetta to Peshawar service cancelled.
• August 13: Peshawar to Quetta service cancelled.
• August 14: Quetta to Peshawar service cancelled again.

The Bolan Mail, which links Karachi and Quetta, has also been halted. Its next scheduled trip will now be on August 16 instead of Sunday.

What Triggered the Suspension

The decision follows an explosion on Sunday near Mastung that derailed six carriages of the Jaffar Express. The blast occurred close to Spezand Railway Station while the train was en route from Quetta to Peshawar. No injuries were reported, but security forces sealed off the site and launched an investigation.

Officials have not disclosed specific intelligence, but recent incidents show a pattern of targeted attacks against trains in the region.

A Troubled Track Record

This is far from an isolated case. In just the past few weeks:

• August 8: A bomb near Sibi detonated moments after the Quetta-bound Jaffar Express passed, narrowly avoiding casualties.
• July 28: The train derailed in Sindh’s Sukkur — initially blamed on sabotage, later ruled a technical fault.
• July 24: An explosion damaged a Bolan Mail bogie in the Quetta-Sibi section.
• June: Four bogies of the Jaffar Express derailed in Jacobabad after a remote-controlled device blast.
• April: Karachi–Quetta train halted at Jacobabad over security fears.

Perhaps most notably, on March 11 this year, the Jaffar Express was hijacked near Sibi. The incident left 25 people dead, including passengers and security personnel, before military forces killed all 33 attackers in a two-day operation. Train services from Quetta were only restored on March 27 after that unprecedented hijacking.

Security Concerns Remain High

Balochistan’s rail network, already operating under tight security, continues to face persistent threats from insurgent groups. The repeated targeting of trains not only disrupts travel but also underscores the vulnerabilities in connecting Quetta to the rest of the country.