QUETTA, Feb 26: The main railway track near Dera Murad Jamali, some 250km east of here, was blown up late on Monday night, severing rail link between the provincial capital and rest of the country for a second time in 24 hours.

"At least three feet of the rail track near village Sona Khan Bugti was blown up when an explosive device went off," Nasirabad District Police Officer Qazi Hussain Ahmad told Dawn on the phone.

All up and down traffic on the main line had been stopped, said officials of the Pakistan Railways.

Trains that left Quetta for upcountry had been halted at Nautal and Dera Murad Jamali railway stations, they said, adding that those coming to Quetta from Karachi and Peshawar had been stopped at Jacobabad and Dera Allah.

The unexpected stoppage caused hardships to hundreds of passengers travelling by these trains.

Except for Jacobabad, all other stations where trains have been stopped are small. They not only lack basic amenities but also food supplies.

After the explosion, police rushed to the place and searched the entire area for any other explosive devices.

After security clearance, the railways authorities sent engineers and other staff for repairing the track. The repair work, according to railway officials, is unlikely to be completed before Tuesday morning.

Police reinforcements have also been sent to the railway stations where the trains are awaiting clearance of the track.

Rail traffic also remained suspended on Sunday morning when a portion of the main railway line was blown up by a similar explosive device in Dasht, 50km south of Quetta. Four explosive devices had been planted, but three of them were defused.

EXPLOSION: Mastung township was rocked when a powerful explosion occurred near the DCO office on Monday night. A wall of the office was damaged.