The driver of the Quetta-Peshawar Jaffar Express sustained injuries after a group of armed men opened fire on the train in Balochistan’s Bolan district on Tuesday.
According to Levies officials, the attack occurred in the Peru Kanri area of Kach district. Sources informed Geo News that the assailants first detonated explosives on a railway track before opening fire on the train, which was carrying over 400 passengers. A heavy exchange of gunfire ensued between security personnel on board and the attackers.
Railway authorities reported that the Jaffar Express, consisting of nine bogies, had departed from Quetta at 9 AM.
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Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind confirmed reports of intense firing and stated that multiple ambulances were dispatched to the site, with an emergency declared at Sibi hospital.
The attack comes amid a surge in militant activity across the country. According to data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), terror incidents rose by 42% in January 2025 compared to the previous month. A total of 74 militant attacks nationwide resulted in 91 fatalities, including security personnel, civilians, and militants, while 117 others sustained injuries.
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Balochistan alone witnessed 24 attacks, leading to 26 deaths, including 11 security personnel, six civilians, and nine militants.