Traffic was suspended on a key railway track in Balochistan on Monday after a powerful blast injured a railway worker and disrupted services in the restive province, an official told news agency PTI.The explosion struck the railway link between Mach and Ab-e-Gum in northwest Balochistan — a vital route that connects southern and central Pakistan — prompting authorities to halt all operations on the track.A spokesperson for Pakistan Railways described the incident as “an act of terrorism aimed at causing damage to the national transport infrastructure.” He added that the injured railway worker was rushed to a nearby hospital and is currently in a stable condition. Security forces were subsequently deployed to search the area for additional explosive devices, while a bomb disposal squad was called in to clear any potential threat.Rising attacks on railway lines in restive provinceBalochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populous province in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), has frequently been a target for attacks by armed groups. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have intensified their operations in the region, employing sophisticated tactics — from suicide attacks to blasts — against security forces and state infrastructure.This attack comes amid growing violence by these groups, who accuse Islamabad of unfairly exploiting their resources and ignoring their political and economic demands. The BLA has demanded greater autonomy and a larger share of profits from the province’s rich resources, and in 2018 it escalated its operations with the formation of its Majeed Brigade, a specialized suicide unit.The attack on Mach exposes the vulnerability of railway links in a province already battling a longstanding insurgency.The Jaffar Express hijackOn March 12, 2025, the Jaffar Express, a key passenger service frequently used by security personnel, fell prey to an attack by armed groups. The incident followed a pattern of attacks previously carried out by the BLA and TTP in 2018 and 2023.Last November, a powerful blast at Quetta railway station killed 26 people and injured over 40, marking a dramatic escalation in attacks against civilians and state infrastructure.Religious sites and clerical figures have also become targets. Mufti Shah Mir, a cleric believed to be close to a government-backed death squad, was recently assassinated by insurgents.Meanwhile, Islamabad finds itself under growing pressure to respond decisively to the rise in attacks. Security operations have intensified, and reports of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial measures have raised human rights concerns.
Traffic was suspended on a key railway track in Balochistan on Monday after a powerful blast injured a railway worker and disrupted services in the restive province, an official told news agency PTI.The explosion struck the railway link between Mach and Ab-e-Gum in northwest Balochistan — a vital route that connects southern and central Pakistan — prompting authorities to halt all operations on the track.A spokesperson for Pakistan Railways described the incident as “an act of terrorism aimed at causing damage to the national transport infrastructure.” He added that the injured railway worker was rushed to a nearby hospital and is currently in a stable condition. Security forces were subsequently deployed to search the area for additional explosive devices, while a bomb disposal squad was called in to clear any potential threat.Rising attacks on railway lines in restive provinceBalochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populous province in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), has frequently been a target for attacks by armed groups. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have intensified their operations in the region, employing sophisticated tactics — from suicide attacks to blasts — against security forces and state infrastructure.This attack comes amid growing violence by these groups, who accuse Islamabad of unfairly exploiting their resources and ignoring their political and economic demands. The BLA has demanded greater autonomy and a larger share of profits from the province’s rich resources, and in 2018 it escalated its operations with the formation of its Majeed Brigade, a specialized suicide unit.The attack on Mach exposes the vulnerability of railway links in a province already battling a longstanding insurgency.The Jaffar Express hijackOn March 12, 2025, the Jaffar Express, a key passenger service frequently used by security personnel, fell prey to an attack by armed groups. The incident followed a pattern of attacks previously carried out by the BLA and TTP in 2018 and 2023.Last November, a powerful blast at Quetta railway station killed 26 people and injured over 40, marking a dramatic escalation in attacks against civilians and state infrastructure.Religious sites and clerical figures have also become targets. Mufti Shah Mir, a cleric believed to be close to a government-backed death squad, was recently assassinated by insurgents.Meanwhile, Islamabad finds itself under growing pressure to respond decisively to the rise in attacks. Security operations have intensified, and reports of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial measures have raised human rights concerns. Economic Times
