SHIKARPUR: At least four coaches of the Jaffar Express derailed near Sultan Kot village in Shikarpur on Tuesday following an explosion on the railway track.
The banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is suspected to be behind the explosion on a railway track near Shikarpur that caused coaches of the Jaffar Express to derail, sources revealed.
According to sources, the BLA has previously targeted the Jaffar Express and other railway infrastructure, highlighting its continued campaign of violence against civilian installations.
The attack once again underscores the group’s anti-people agenda, as it has also been involved in targeting unarmed laborers working in Balochistan.
The United States has designated both the BLA and the Majeed Brigade as global terrorist organizations, citing their involvement in numerous violent attacks.
According to police, four passengers were injured in the incident and shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
A bomb disposal squad has been called to the site to determine the nature of the explosion and collect evidence from the damaged section of the track.
Police say the railway operation has been temporarily suspended after the blast, while arrangements are being made to send passengers by buses.
According to the DS Railway, repair of the affected track has been started and the track repair can take 8 to 10 hours, but there is no train on the track before 5pm.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah strongly condemned the explosion on the railway track near Kot Sultan that caused several coaches of the Jaffar Express to derail.
According to a spokesperson, the chief minister has sought a detailed report from the Inspector General of Police regarding the incident.
He also directed the Commissioner of Larkana to ensure that the injured passengers receive the best possible medical treatment.
Murad Ali Shah further instructed authorities to dispatch rescue teams immediately to provide timely assistance to the affected passengers.
The police and bomb disposal squad are present at the site and are investigating the nature of the blast, the Sindh police chief confirmed.
On the other hand, Sindh Home Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar has sought a detailed report from the SSP Shikarpur following the explosion on a railway track that caused coaches of the Jaffar Express to derail.
The home minister directed authorities to launch an immediate investigation into the incident and ensure that the terrorists responsible for damaging the railway track are brought to justice at the earliest.
Lanjar emphasized the need to trace the culprits through concrete evidence and thorough investigation and instructed officials to keep him informed of all developments related to the probe.
