• Railway officials link the resumption of service to ‘security authorization’ after repairs in a matter of days
• RS5.2M compensation announced for victims families
LAHORE: Train services to and from Baluchistan, which were suspended after the attack against Jaffar Express, are probably resumed next weekend, according to senior Pakistan Railways officials.
The engineers of the Pakistan Railways have been asked to complete the repair and maintenance work on the road in the next three days. The railway authorities in Quetta have decided to send passenger coaches and locomotives damaged in the attack on LAHORE for repair work.
The terrorists used explosives to stop the train and also sprayed bullets from both sides, breaking vessels and causing other damage. Sunrise has learned.
“The Jaffar Express had nine coaches and a locomotive. Three of them were derailed by the terrorists through explosions, while the bullet holes pierced the body of the remaining coaches, ”explained a senior rail official while talking to Dawn on Saturday.
The bullet brands are also visible in the locomotive, as well as in all the coaches, said the officials who did not want to be appointed.
“The train rake (set of coaches), including those damaged due to derailment, would be sent to the Mughalpura workshop in Lahore for repair,” they revealed.
When asked about the damage to the road and another infrastructure, the officer said that a 600 m railway section was damaged due to explosions and derailment.
According to him, the cost of infrastructure damage is being evaluated.
He said the engineers had begun the work of repair and maintenance of the track after removing the rolling stock. The work would take two to three days to complete, he added.
“Hopefully, we will make the track ready for operations in the next three days.”
The official said that after the repairs, the train operation will resume “if the security agencies give us authorization.”
On Saturday, the authorities canceled the departure of Business Express and Karachi Express from Lahore due to the low number of passengers. Those who had reservations in these trains were housed in other trains.
Similarly, the authorities also canceled the departure of Jaffar Express from Lahore, since trains operations and from Baluchistan remained suspended. Passengers who have a reservation in Jaffar Express have been asked to obtain a reimbursement of reservation offices.
Announced compensation
While he was heading to a presierman at the headquarters of Pakistan Railways on Saturday, the Federal Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi announced a compensation package of RS5.2 million for the families of the victims of the recent Japhafar Express train attack in Baluchistan, along with jobs for their children in their ministry.
He said that the train tragedy left the government and security agencies without option to launch a massive operation.
He regretted: “Our own people in Baluchistan and KP in an attempt to earn money has become facilitators of terrorists protected by our enemy countries.”
“So, taking into account this, it has been decided that it will be eliminated in terrorism in Pakistan,” he said.
“Why India is operating almost 22 missions / consulates in Afghanistan alone along the Durand line. They are sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan through their local facilitators, ”he said.
Posted in Dawn, March 16, 2025
