Suspected insurgents attempted to attack two passenger trains, including the frequently targeted Jaffar Express, by detonating bombs in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, damaging railway tracks and disrupting services, officials said on Saturday.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Quetta Shahid Nawaz said that two separate explosions were reported on Friday. One blast damaged around three feet of railway track in Mushkaf, while another explosion in the Dasht area caused additional destruction.

“In both cases, the Jaffar Express and Bolan Mail passenger trains were the target,” he said.

The explosions damaged the main railway line, leading to the suspension of train services in the affected areas.

Nawaz said that from Saturday onward, passenger train schedules from Quetta to other parts of Pakistan would only be confirmed after security clearance.

“The safety and security of the passengers is paramount to us, and special security measures are being taken for all Quetta outbound passenger trains,” he said.

Despite heightened security concerns, authorities allowed a special service of the Jaffar Express to depart for Peshawar on Saturday.

A railway official said the special service was operated to manage passenger rush, while regular train operations remain suspended pending security approval.

The Jaffar Express has been repeatedly targeted by insurgents, with its operations disrupted several times this year.

According to officials, insurgents have attacked the Jaffar Express and Bolan Mail at least three times over the past two months, damaging railway infrastructure but causing no fatalities.

On March 11, the Jaffar Express was involved in an unprecedented attack when terrorists opened fire on the locomotive and hijacked the train, taking nearly 400 passengers hostage. More than 20 people were killed in the incident, while security forces rescued the remaining passengers and killed 33 insurgents.