Balochistan Republican Guards claim responsibility for bombing Pakistan’s Jaffar Express with a remote-controlled IED near Sultan Kot.
Pakistan’s fragile security landscape was shaken once again on Tuesday, as the Balochistan Republican Guards (BRG) claimed responsibility for a major terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express passenger train near Sultan Kot, between Shikarpur and Jacobabad, officials confirmed.
According to Pakistani authorities, the assault was carried out using a remote-controlled improvised explosive device (IED) planted along the railway track, detonated as the train passed. Initial reports indicate several casualties and significant damage to multiple carriages, though the full extent of the destruction is still being assessed.
The Balochistan Republican Guards, an armed separatist group operating under the umbrella of the Baloch Raji Ajoi Sangar (BRAS) alliance, swiftly claimed responsibility for the explosion, calling it a “revenge strike” against what it described as “Pakistani military occupation and atrocities” in Balochistan.
Security officials cordoned off the area and launched a search operation, while emergency teams rushed to the site to assist survivors. The attack has raised renewed concerns about the Pakistani state’s inability to contain the escalating insurgency in Balochistan, where militant groups have increasingly targeted critical infrastructure, including railways, pipelines, and military convoys.
Analysts note that the timing of the attack—coming amid internal political turmoil and rising economic instability—highlights the deteriorating security situation across Pakistan’s western provinces. The BRG, known for high-profile assaults on military and energy targets, has recently expanded operations deeper into Sindh province, signaling a dangerous escalation of cross-regional insurgent activity.
Observers point out that while Islamabad frequently accuses “foreign intelligence services” of backing the Baloch insurgency, the persistent pattern of attacks reveals a deep-seated domestic crisis, rooted in years of political neglect, human rights abuses, and regional disenfranchisement.
As Pakistan scrambles to reassert control, the Sultan Kot bombing underscores a grim reality: the country’s internal security is fracturing under pressure—with insurgent groups exploiting chaos, and civilians once again paying the price.
