QUETTA: A bomb blast on the main railway track in the Dasht area of Mastung injured two people on Thursday.

The explosion derailed the engine and seven bogies of Akbar Bugti Express coming from Lahore and caused suspension of train service between Quetta and rest of the country.

The injured were identified as Mohammad Javed, assistant driver of the train, and Malik Mohammad Riaz, a passenger. They were taken to civil hospital where their condition was stated to be stable.

Railways police and Frontier Corps personnel reached the site and carried out relief work.

Railway officials said the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device planted on the track near the Spinzad area, about 30km off Quetta, detonated by remote control.

A senior official of Pakistan Railways, Quetta division, told Dawn that the explosion took place under the train’s engine.

According to the bomb disposal squad, around 8kg of explosives had been used in the device. A two-foot long portion of the track was blown up.

Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch condemned the attack and said the elements involved in the blast would be brought to book soon.

A spokesman for the banned Baloch United Army, Mureed Baloch, called newsmen and claimed responsibility for the blast.

Published in Dawn, November 21th, 2014