QUETTA: The rail link of Balochistan with the rest of the country was restored on Friday after a gap of one and a half months following the reconstruction of a bridge destroyed by terrorists.

The rail link had been suspended since August when the bridge between Kolpur and Dozan railway stations in Bolan area was blown up by terrorists who had launched coordinated att­a­cks on civilians and government properties across several districts of Balochistan on the night between Aug 25 and 26, killing 53 people, 14 of them security personnel.

The attack cut off Balochistan’s railway link with the rest of the country.

On Friday, Jaffar Express left Quetta for Peshawar with more than 300 passengers on board, the divisional superintendent of Pakistan Railways, Imran Hayat, said.

The official added that Bolan Mail from Karachi is also scheduled to depart for Quetta the same day, with enhanced security measures taken for the safety of passengers.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2024