Quetta, Feb 6 (.) Train services in the restive Balochistan province were suspended again on Friday, just a day after operations briefly resumed following a five-day halt triggered by a surge in militant attacks across the province.
The Jaffar Express, running between Quetta and Peshawar, and the Karachi-bound Bolan Mail, have both been halted once more, a day after they had been restored. Passenger services on the Quetta–Chaman route also remain suspended, said an official.
The services were halted after fresh intelligence warnings of potential attacks on railway infrastructure prompted authorities to prioritize passenger safety.
Rail traffic had resumed on Thursday after authorities cited an improvement in the security situation. At the time, officials also said mobile internet services were still down in several districts, though connectivity in Quetta was expected to be restored on Friday.
Rail services had first been halted on January 31 after a series of coordinated assaults under what officials termed “Operation Hiroof,” attributed to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) targeting railway tracks, banks, and security outposts, followed by a military counter-offensive
On Thursday, the military announced the conclusion of Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1 in Balochistan, saying the campaign had “eliminated” 216 militants.
According to the military’s official mouthpiece Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the violence and subsequent operations also resulted in the deaths of 36 civilians, including women and children, and 22 personnel from the security forces and law enforcement agencies.
Though railway services briefly resumed on February 5 under heavy paramilitary escort, they were halted again Friday day due to what authorities described as unavoidable security circumstances.
The suspension of services has led to hundreds of passengers being stranded at Quetta and Jacobabad stations and the severe disruption in the movement of essential goods, including freight on the Quetta–Zahedan line linking Pakistan and Iran.
A strict ban on night travel remains in force, and mobile data services continue to be suspended in Quetta and several other districts for the sixth consecutive day.
According to officials, limited rail services may tentatively resume on some routes by February 12, subject to security clearance.
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