Iran-Pakistan Goods Train Derails In Balochistan: 'Terror Attack Not Ruled Out'

Incident occurred a day after a gruesome terror attack in Balochistan, where nine men from Punjab on their way to Taftan were abducted by terrorists and killed.

The derailment occurred around 70 km from the Iranian border town of Taftan.

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A goods train carrying chemicals to Pakistan from the Iranian border town of Taftan derailed in Balochistan province on Saturday. Rail operations between the two nations were suspended in light of the derailment, with the authorities saying a terror angle could not be ruled out in the derailment.

According to a PTI report, the accident occurred near the Tozgi station in Balochistan. The Quetta-bound cargo train, with a few passenger coaches attached, was carrying phosphate, a report in the Pakistani daily Dawn said. The derailment, it added, caused significant damage to the locomotive and some other wagons.

Pakistan Railways spokesperson Amir Baloch told the media that the derailment occurred around 70 kilometres from Taftan and that they were not ruling out a terrorist attack. 

The Dawn report quoted the spokesperson as saying that an inquiry had been ordered to find the cause of the derailment. Replying to a question, the report added, he said the train was slightly speeding when it derailed.

Noshki Abduction 

The incident occurred just a day after a gruesome terror attack on the Quetta-Taftan highway in the restive Balochistan province on Friday night. Nine men from Punjab on their way to Taftan were abducted by terrorists, who took them to the mountains and killed them. A report in Dawn said the men were targeted based on their ethnicity. In another attack, two individuals who were driving a private vehicle were shot at and killed on the same highway. 

Terrorists have also destroyed a portion of a railway track near Noshki. The restoration work is yet to begin because workers and engineers are on standby as the area is cordoned off.