Pakistani authorities have recommended installing signal-jamming devices on the Jaffar Express following repeated attacks on the train in Balochistan, allegedly carried out using remote-controlled explosive devices.
According to officials, the recommendation was made during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Railways, chaired by Ramesh Lal, where recent attacks on the Jaffar Express were reviewed.
The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Railway Police briefed the committee that several recent attacks had involved remote-controlled explosives. He said the perpetrators had not yet been identified, although intelligence agencies were investigating the incidents.
The DIG added that surveillance along railway tracks in Balochistan had been increased and that joint patrols with Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were now being conducted. Following the briefing, the committee recommended installing signal jammers aboard passenger trains to prevent further attacks.
Train operations to and from Balochistan have remained suspended for more than a month, with major services including the Bolan Mail (Quetta–Karachi) and Jaffar Express (Quetta–Peshawar via Lahore) halted since early October.
Officials said the suspension was prompted by “security threats and a decline in passenger numbers.”
Railway authorities described the measure as temporary, saying services would resume once the security situation improves and passenger demand increases. The department said it was in “continuous contact with security agencies” to ensure a safe environment for the restoration of operations.
Trains connecting Quetta with Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have faced repeated disruptions in recent months following a series of attacks claimed by Baloch “pro-independence” armed groups. The groups say Pakistani military personnel stationed in Balochistan often use trains for transport, making them potential targets.
In March, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the Jaffar Express, holding more than 200 Pakistani military personnel hostage for three days. The group issued an ultimatum for a prisoner exchange, which the Pakistani government did not accept. The BLA later claimed to have executed the soldiers it had detained.
Since that incident, the Jaffar Express has faced multiple attacks and periodic service suspensions when entering Balochistan, with security officials citing continuing threats along key railway routes.