QUETTA, Oct 21: At least six people, including a woman and a child, were killed and 15 others injured when a passenger train derailed after being hit by a bomb blast at railway track near Nuttal railway station in Nasirabad district, some 230km from here, on Monday.

Five compartments of the Quetta-bound Jaffar Express, coming from Rawalpindi, bore the brunt of the explosion and derailed. Train service to and from Quetta was suspended and different trains were stopped at Quetta and Jacobabad railway stations because the track was damaged by the blast.

It links the provincial capital Quetta with other parts of the country.

Those killed in the incident included two brothers who were coming to Quetta after celebrating Eid in their native town in Punjab.

The banned Baloch Republican Army has claimed responsibility for the bomb blast. Its spokesman Sarbaz Baloch, calling from an unspecified place, told reporters that his organisation had carried out the explosion.

Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Malik Baloch, Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti and Federal Minister for Railways Saad Rafiq have condemned the incident. The home minister said an inquiry had been ordered into the tragic incident and announced compensation for the relatives of the victims.

Home Secretary Syed Asad Gilani told Dawn that a remote control device had been used to detonate a bomb planted on the track. He said the condition of six of the injured passengers was critical.

Official sources said the explosion occurred when the train was about to enter Nuttal railway station. “The blast took place soon after the locomotive and one compartment crossed the place where the bomb had been planted,” Police Superintendent Riaz Ahmed of Pakistan Railways said.

The second bogey of the train overturned and four other bogies derailed, another official said.

Personnel of the Frontier Corps, police and levies started rescuing the passengers trapped in the derailed bogies. “We have received five bodies and 16 injured people,” sources in a Dera Murad Jamali hospital said, adding that one of the injured died at the hospital.

Those passengers who had remained unhurt were taken to Sibi and Quetta through private transport, railways officials said.

The Inspector General of the Frontier Corps, Maj Gen Mohammad Ejaz Shahid, said explosives weighing around 10kg had been used in the blast.

Commissioner of Nasirabad division Zafar Shah Bukhari said late in the night relief trains had reached Nuttal from Sibi and Sukkur to clear the track and the task would be accomplished in a couple of hours.

The passengers were returning to Quetta after celebrating Eid in their native towns in Punjab.

Later speaking at a press conference, Home Minister Bugti described the incident as an act of terrorism and said the culprits would be brought to justice.

He announced compensation of Rs1 million for each deceased and Rs200,000 for each injured.

He said the government would ensure protection of people’s lives and safe journey through road and rail.

“Killing of innocent women, children and passengers violates Baloch traditions,” the minister said and added that talks were the only way to resolve issues.

He said the chief minister had started consulting leaders of different political parties about a proposed all-parties conference on the Balochistan issue.

In reply to a question, he said those killed in the blast were common people and none of them belonged to security forces.

To another question, he said a comprehensive plan would be prepared to provide security to passengers travelling on trains and by road.

AFP adds: The identity of those killed in the attack was not yet clear.

An intelligence official said bomb disposal experts were examining the place to determine the nature of the blast and check for any more devices.

Commissioner Bukhari said one of the compartments of the train was badly damaged due to intensity of the explosion.