QUETTA: For Muhammad Ibrahim, boarding a train for the first time with his four children brought a mix of excitement and nervousness. The new experience thrilled him, but he also worried about traveling in a province where attacks on passenger trains are not uncommon.
Pakistan Railways and the Balochistan provincial government jointly launched the Jinnah Peoples Train Service on 29 September in Quetta. It is the region’s first mass‑transit project, operating on a 32‑kilometre track that runs from the outskirts of Sariab to the Kuchlak neighbourhood of Quetta, calling at seven railway stations.
Balochistan, Pakistan’s southwestern province, has long been plagued by militant violence, and attacks on passenger buses and trains are frequent. Separatist groups such as the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) have repeatedly targeted trains, holding passengers hostage. In March 2025, BLA militants stormed the Quetta‑Peshawar bound Jaffar Express, leading to a 28‑hour armed standoff that left more than 30 militants, 23 soldiers, three railway employees and five passengers dead. A suicide blast targeted a shuttle train from Quetta’s cantonment to the railway station in May, and a bomb at Quetta Railway Station in November 2024 killed dozens of people awaiting the Jaffar Express.
The Jinnah Peoples Train Service was completed in a record 120 days at a cost of Rs 3 billion (≈ $10.83 million), according to the information ministry. “I had never boarded a train in my entire life, this is my first journey and I was quite afraid,” Ibrahim told Arab News as he boarded the train in Sariab for Kuchlak. “My only prayer is for peace and that there shouldn’t be any danger to this train, because it is a reliable and affordable commuting service for us.”
Syed Najeeb Shah, another first‑time passenger, described the ride as “fantastic” and praised the facilities. “We are sitting in an air‑conditioned compartment, children and other commuters are traveling happily,” he said.
‘REMARKABLE RESPONSE’
A train driver involved in the Jinnah Peoples Train Service identified security challenges, noting unmanned crossings and repeated theft of fishplates and bolts. “Our department is actively raising awareness among communities from Sariab to Kuchlak that this train is our national asset and benefiting local commuters,” he said on condition of anonymity. He highlighted that the line passes through densely populated areas and stressed the need for vigilance.
He praised the security arrangements, saying that Railway Police officers stand guard at carriage doors and that platform security is very effective. “Whenever the train stops at any station, officers step down to secure the platform,” he added.
Muhammad Kashif, an assistant transport officer with Pakistan Railways, said the railways and district police are taking action against individuals who damage tracks. One suspect was detained for stealing a fishplate in Kuchlak. “The public has given a remarkable response since this mass‑transit train was launched,” Kashif said. The service runs three round‑trips daily, transporting on average around 1,000 passengers. He indicated that additional carriages would be added as demand grows.
Shah expressed confidence that the new rail link will restore public trust in train travel and attract more commuters in the future.
