Quetta, Jan 7 (NationPress) A blast occurred when unidentified individuals employed explosive materials to target a railway track located near the national highway in the Notal region of Nasirabad, Balochistan, Pakistan, as reported by local media on Wednesday.

The incident transpired while no train was traversing the area. A section of the track sustained partial damage due to the explosion. Fortunately, there were no casualties or property damage, according to police reports cited by Pakistan's prominent daily, The Express Tribune. In response to the incident, police and security forces promptly arrived at the location, cordoned off the area, and commenced a search operation to apprehend those responsible.

The train services were temporarily halted due to the damage to the track. Railway authorities are currently engaged in repair efforts on the affected section. Authorities have announced that an investigation has been initiated into the incident, ensuring that those behind the attack will face justice.

Previously, last month, a different section of the railway track was compromised after a bomb detonated near Dera Murad Jamali in Balochistan, while police successfully neutralized another explosive device. Law enforcement indicated that a Improvised Explosive Device (IED) had been planted on the main railway line near the Notal area of Nasirabad. The device detonated just before the Jaffar Express, traveling from Peshawar to Quetta, reached the site, as reported by another leading daily, Dawn.

In November, the Jaffar Express was subjected to an attack in the Bolan Pass region of Balochistan. Railway officials confirmed that the train was en route from Quetta to Peshawar when armed assailants targeted it, as reported by Dawn.

According to railway officials, armed individuals opened fire on the train when it was near Aab-i-Gum. Security personnel, including Railway police aboard the train, retaliated; however, the attackers fled the scene after a brief exchange of gunfire. Fortunately, no casualties were reported as a result of the shooting.

In October, a blast on the Quetta-bound Jaffar Express in the Shikarpur district of Sindh resulted in injuries to at least seven individuals, as stated by officials. Shikarpur Deputy Commissioner Shakeel Abro indicated that the explosion occurred on the train tracks, approximately one kilometer from the Sultan Kot railway station.

In March of the previous year, the Jaffar Express, traveling from Quetta to Peshawar, was hijacked by the Baloch Liberation Army's (BLA) Majeed Brigade, resulting in over 400 hostages. The train was forced to stop on March 11, 2025, after being derailed in the Dhabar area of Bolan Pass in Balochistan.

Security forces and railway authorities confirmed that the train was attacked near Tunnel No. 8 in Bolan Pass. The stand-off continued for more than 24 hours, with the BLA claiming responsibility for the deaths of at least 20 abducted security personnel after verifying their identities.