DERA MURAD JAMALI: A railway employee was killed and train services were suspended on Thursday when a bomb exploded on a railway track near Dera Murad Jamali, connecting Balochistan to the rest of the country, marking the fourth such incident in a month, according to officials.

Officials said unknown militants planted an IED on the track near a railway bridge on the Pat Feeder canal and detonated it by remote control. The blast damaged a section of the track and a pillar of the bridge.

“A railway employee was killed in the blast as he was close to the area where the powerful blast took place,” said SSP Nasirabad, Ghulam Sarwar. The slain railway employee was identified as Imdad Khokhar.

Following the blast, the Quetta-bound Jaffar Express was stopped at Jacobabad railway station, and the Peshawar-bound express was halted at Sibi. Railway officials also confirmed that the Chaman passenger train was cancelled for Friday.

Railway staff, including engineers, have arrived at the site to begin repair work. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Landmine explosion

In a separate incident in Balochistan on Thursday, a landmine explosion seriously injured two people in the Sui area of Dera Bugti district. Levies officials said the blast occurred when a motorcycle hit the mine in the Lanjoo Saghari Chakrani area. The injured were identified as Aftab and Kobri Bugti.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2025