Sibi- At least 12 passengers including women and children were killed and over 35 seriously wounded as a powerful blast hit a train at Balochistan's Sibi railway station today.
According to officials, blast occurred inside bogie no.9 of Rawalpindi-bound Jafar Express coming from Quetta. Blast occurred 10 minutes after train stopped at Sibi railway station. The blast set the bogie on fire and completely destroyed the bogie and damaged three others. Emergency and rescue teams were rushed to the site and wounded and bodies shifted to Civil Hospital in Sibi where emergency was declared. No surgeon was present in the hospital where seriously injured people were being succumbed to their injuries which feared more casualties. Most of the deceased were burnt to dead. The security forces cordon off whole area and search operation was underway.
The blast occurred a day after when security forces claimed to have killed 30 militants in Khuzdar area who were involved in train blasts. Baloch rebel groups have increased attacks on passenger trains in restive province where hundreds people have lost their lives. Pakistan Railways minister Saad Rafique confirming the death toll said 12 people have been killed and over 30 wounded in today's blast. Condemning attack, the federal minister said a female attacker could be involved in Jaffar Express blast. Saad Rafique said there were dead bodies inside the bogie. "There was aggressive patrolling in place at railway tracks after trains were being targeted. This could be a reaction to the FC operation which took place yesterday.”
Saad Rafique said the culprits would be brought to justice at any price adding that militants are now targeting innocent people including women and children. The minister said the government would handle militants with iron hands if they do not come on right path through negotiations. President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also condemned train blast. In his remarks, the Prime Minister expressed sympathies to grieved families who lost their beloved ones in today's attack. The prime minister vowed to bring the culprits to book. Nawaz Sharif also directed Balochistan government to provide best medical treatment who sustained injuries in train blast.