Nearly a month after coordinated attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan province that resulted in over 50 fatalities, a senior official from Pakistan Railways expressed hope on Tuesday that restoration work on a vital bridge destroyed by militants would be completed by October 10.
Constructed in 1887, this five-span bridge was the second built by the British Army at the Bolan Pass, following an agreement with the then Khan of Kalat, Meer Khuda-e-Dad Khan, to extend the railway network to Quetta and Chaman near the Afghan border.
Dozens of militants from the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) conducted multiple coordinated assaults, including suicide bombings, across Lasbela, Musakhail, Kachi, Kalat, and Mastung districts on August 26. The attacks coincided with the 18th anniversary of local chieftain Nawab Akbar Bugti’s assassination during an army operation in 2006.
During the violence, BLA fighters shot commuters on buses, attacked a paramilitary Frontier Corps camp, and targeted railway infrastructure.
According to Imran Hayat, the divisional superintendent of Pakistan Railways in Quetta, “October 10 is the target for completing the restoration work.” He noted that the top railway official had urged for earlier completion, and they were working diligently to meet this goal. Hayat emphasized the bridge’s historical significance and acknowledged the community’s distress over the incident.
The suspension of train services since last month has led to approximately Rs40 million ($144,000) in revenue losses. The Bolan Pass bridge, a crucial trade and military route linking the subcontinent with Afghanistan and Central Asia, primarily serves two key train services: the Jaffar Khan Jamali Express to Peshawar and the Bolan Mail between Quetta and Karachi.
“Beyond revenue losses, it’s about our obligation to the public service,” Hayat said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to connecting the people of Balochistan with the rest of the country, noting that rail travel is essential for many.
Baloch separatist groups have previously targeted passenger trains and railway tracks in the Bolan Pass region. Last January, a bomb attack on the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express injured several passengers, and in October, a double explosion on a Punjab-bound train killed six and injured others.
Regarding security for passenger trains and railway facilities in Balochistan, Hayat stated that security forces had secured the area, allowing restoration work to proceed without issues. “We are a service department,” he said, emphasizing their duty to provide transportation to the public and expressing confidence in the security forces.
Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has seen an increase in violence from separatist groups over the past seven months, with militants blocking roads and targeting passengers, particularly from Punjab province.
Muhammad Nasrullah, a resident of Mach located about 50 kilometers from Quetta, shared his experience of having to travel by bus with his family to Layyah in Punjab due to the train service suspension. “There’s a sense of insecurity in Balochistan, but we have to use public transport,” he said. He urged the government to increase train services from Balochistan and ensure safe travel for passengers.
