Timely action foils rail sabotage

Jaffar Express was minutes from Dera Murad Jamali track when forces defused 3.5kg bomb

Security forces on Tuesday defused a bomb containing over 3.5 kilogrammes of explosive material near a railway track in Dera Murad Jamali area of Naseerabad, averting what police described as a potential major disaster.

The Bomb Disposal Squad successfully neutralised the device and restored train operations. Police officials said the Quetta-bound Jaffar Express would have suffered devastation had the bomb not been discovered in time.

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Information was received about suspicious activity near the railway track, police officials said. This prompted Sadar Police and Railway Police to rush to the scene. During the search, they found a bomb hidden in a plastic bag on a dirt path adjacent to the track. The device had been planted for detonation by remote control or timer.

Shortly after the recovery, the Jaffar Express travelling from Peshawar to Quetta was due to pass through the same track. Police officials said an explosion would have killed a large number of passengers and severely damaged railway infrastructure.

District Police Officer Naseerabad Shehzada Umar Abbas Babar told Express News the vigilance of security forces had foiled a nefarious terrorist conspiracy. He confirmed the device had been completely cleared and train operations restored.

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An FIR has been registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act while police have intensified search operations in the area and are conducting raids to arrest suspects. Railway officials have appealed for passengers to immediately report any suspicious object or activity to relevant authorities.