At least seven people were injured on Tuesday when a powerful explosion derailed four bogies of the Jaffar Express near Sultan Kot village in Sindh’s Shikarpur district, officials confirmed.
According to Shikarpur Deputy Commissioner Shakeel Abro, the blast occurred around 8:15 am, approximately one kilometre from the Sultan Kot railway station. “Four bogies derailed as a result of the explosion,” he said, adding that four injured passengers were shifted to the Combined Military Hospital, while three others were taken to the Civil Hospital in Shikarpur.
The Jaffar Express, which was en route to Quetta via Jacobabad, was carrying dozens of passengers when the explosion hit. Sukkur Divisional Transport Officer Mohsin Ali Sial said that train operations had been suspended, and passengers were being transferred to nearby stations. Repair work on the damaged track has begun and is expected to take up to 10 hours.
Shikarpur Senior Superintendent of Police Shahzeb Chachar said that the remaining bogies continued towards Jacobabad, while police teams from Shikarpur and Jacobabad have launched a search operation to trace those responsible. Bomb Disposal Squad personnel collected evidence from the site.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah strongly condemned the incident and directed the provincial police chief to submit a detailed report. He also instructed the Larkana commissioner to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured and to provide timely assistance to all affected passengers.
This is not the first attack on the Jaffar Express. The train has repeatedly come under militant assault, including a hijacking incident in March when Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants took over 400 passengers hostage in Balochistan, resulting in multiple casualties.
Authorities suspect militant involvement in Tuesday’s blast, amid a broader uptick in attacks targeting Pakistan’s transport infrastructure.