The Peshawar-to-Quetta Jaffar Express was stopped at Jacobabad Railway Station on Tuesday and prevented from continuing towards Balochistan because of security concerns, marking the latest disruption to train services on the route.
The train had departed from Peshawar for Quetta but was terminated at Jacobabad on 1 September, according to railway sources.
The latest curtailment came two days after Pakistan Railways suspended the Jaffar Express service between Quetta and Peshawar.
The Quetta-to-Peshawar train scheduled to depart on Sunday was cancelled, while the Quetta-bound service from Peshawar was stopped at Jacobabad and returned from there instead of continuing to Quetta, railway officials said.
Rail services connecting Balochistan with other parts of Pakistan were repeatedly suspended or curtailed throughout August because of security concerns and damage to railway infrastructure.
The Quetta-to-Peshawar Jaffar Express remained suspended on 25 and 26 August. The Quetta-bound service from Peshawar was also terminated at Jacobabad, while railway officials said passengers affected by the cancellations had been refunded the cost of their tickets.
The service was also suspended on 14 and 15 August, officially to facilitate repair and maintenance work on the main railway track, although railway sources cited security concerns as a factor behind the decision.
Railway authorities had earlier suspended services from Quetta for a day on 11 August, while the Quetta-bound Jaffar Express from Peshawar was stopped at Jacobabad.
The railway line also came under attack during the month. On 3 August, armed fighters damaged a section of track near Musa Colony in Quetta with explosives.
Another explosion damaged the railway track near Jacobabad on 19 August, shortly before the arrival of the Quetta-bound Jaffar Express. The train was stopped at Jacobabad as a precautionary measure while the damaged section was repaired.
Security concerns surrounding the route have intensified since fighters of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the Jaffar Express in the Bolan area of Balochistan in March 2025.
Railway authorities have since increased the deployment of Pakistan Railways Police, Frontier Corps and other security personnel along vulnerable sections of the route, particularly between Mach and Sibi.
A pilot engine is also operated ahead of the Jaffar Express along the Quetta-Sibi section to inspect the track before the passenger train passes.
The repeated suspensions and curtailments have caused difficulties for passengers travelling between Balochistan and other parts of Pakistan, disrupting travel plans and forcing many to seek alternative transport.