Quetta, May 29 (IANS) Trains operations in Pakistan’s Quetta and other parts of Balochistan remained suspended for second consecutive day on Friday, railway officials said, citing “unavoidable circumstances” for the disruption, local media reported on Friday.
They said the Jaffar Express from Quetta to Peshawar would not depart on Friday while the train from Peshawar to Quetta would be sent back from Jacobabad. Railway authorities stated that train services in Balochistan have remained suspended for the past two days, while the Bolan Mail and Chaman Passenger services to Karachi were stopped, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.
Meanwhile, delays were also reported in several trains departing from Karachi, sparking protests from passengers at Cantt Station.
At least 14 people were killed, including three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, and several others injured in a blast that took place near the Chaman Phatak in Quetta on May 24, according to the Balochistan government spokesperson. Several women and children suffered injuries in the blast and were taken to hospital.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the blast targeting a military shuttle train near Chaman Phatak. It said that 82 Pakistani military personnel were killed and more than 121 others were injured in the attack, The Balochistan Post reported.
In a detailed statement, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said the attack was conducted through what the group termed “highly complex, organised, joint operation” by its Majeed Brigade, the group’s “fidayeen” unit, and its intelligence wing, ZIRAB. According to the statement, the target was a military shuttle train carrying Pakistani army personnel from Quetta Cantonment to be attached to the Jaffar Express.
Earlier in February, bus services from major cities of Pakistan to Quetta were suspended due to the security situation in Balochistan, with all buses being stopped at Rakhni. According to officials and transport operators, the suspension of bus services between Quetta and other parts of Pakistan impacted several people in multiple cities, The Balochistan Post reported.
At the same time, internet services were also suspended in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan, further impacting the daily lives of people. Commercial activity and regular communications were affected due to the disruption of internet services and the partial or complete suspension of air and train services.
–IANS
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