Blast near railway track kills three, injures 12 in Mastung

QUETTA: At least three people were killed and 12 others injured when an explosion struck near a railway track in Dasht area of Balochistan's Mastung district.

The explosion partially damaged the railway track and a bogey of the Jaffar Express train, which was travelling from Quetta to Rawalpindi and passing by Mastung when the explosion hit the railway track.

"The bomb was planted on the railway track. It exploded when the train reached Dasht area (part of Mastung)," said Shafqat Anwar, a senior government official on site.

One passenger wagon was damaged after it was derailed by the impact of the blast, he said.

Anwar Sammo, another senior government official, said an IED (improvised explosive device) was used in the attack.

"The IED was planted on the railway track. All those killed and injured were railway employees," said Sammo, adding that some 650 passengers were travelling in the train.

Panic struck the passengers after the explosion partially damaged a bogey of the train, derailing it.

According to latest reports, five injured persons and the bodies of the three victims were transferred to the Civil Hospital Quetta.

Three of the injured persons were said to be in critical condition.