Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi has said Jaffar Express will resume its operations from today, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Tuesday.
Last week, Pakistan Railways (PR) suspended its entire operations from Punjab and Sindh to Balochistan and vice versa, following the terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express.
The Jaffer Express was attacked on Tuesday afternoon when Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists ambushed the Peshawar-bound train carrying 440 passengers, opening fire and taking hostages. Consequently, the security forces initiated an operation that lasted two days.
On Wednesday evening, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that the operation had been concluded, with 33 terrorists killed. The ISPR chief also said that 26 hostages, including 18 security personnel, lost their lives but no hostages were harmed during the final rescue phase. Five more security personnel were martyred during the operation.
Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament House in Islamabad, the railways minister said that drone surveillance will be launched for train operations in Balochistan, Radio Pakistan reported.
“The service had been suspended after the railway track was damaged in a recent attack but has now been fully restored,” he added.
He further said that CCTV cameras are also being installed at railway stations and other sensitive locations across the country to improve security, according to Radio Pakistan.
Earlier on Saturday, Abbasi announced a compensation package of Rs5.2 million for the families of the victims of the Jaffar Express train attack, along with jobs for their children in his ministry.
The Federal Investigation Agency on Monday also arrested a suspect involved in an alleged “anti-state campaign” on social media over the Jaffar Express attack from Banigala on the outskirts of Islamabad and he was later produced before a judge, who sent him on a physical remand for three days.
