QUETTA: Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi has announced the restoration of train services in Balochistan from tomorrow.
Addressing a press conference in Quetta, Abbasi said that the Jaffer Express will leave Peshawar for Quetta tomorrow while train services from Quetta to other places will be restored on Friday. He assured that the safety of passengers is the top priority.
In addition to the Jaffer Express, the Bolan Mail will now run daily between Quetta and Karachi to facilitate passengers.
Referring to the recent attack on the Jaffer Express, Abbasi termed it a tragic incident but praised the security forces for their swift response in neutralizing the attackers. He lauded the Divisional Superintendent (DS) of Railways and his team for their efforts in rescuing passengers and restoring the railway tracks.
Acknowledging the security concerns, Abbasi noted that there was a lack of proper scanning equipment at railway stations, but efforts were being made to strengthen security. The plans include the recruitment of 500 personnel for the railway police, with an additional 1,000 in the pipeline.
The minister also stressed the government’s commitment to restoring train operations in Balochistan to their 2003-2004 levels, promising to increase security measures to ensure passenger safety.
