Lahore:
In the wake of the attack last month against the Jaffar Express, strict security measures were implemented for trains operating between Quetta and other cities, including Lahore.
The number of deployed security staff has increased from 11 to 40, the Rao Muhammad Tahir railway police.
According to Ig Tahir, the limits will be built at Quetta, Sibi and Mach stations to improve safety. Watchtowers will also be built in these locations, and trained elite shooters will be deployed to ensure better surveillance and response capacity.
Meanwhile, efforts are also made to brake the theft of railway materials.
According to Ig Tahir, the staff who manage will now be required to record video sequences before putting the charges back to their replacements to improve responsibility and reduce pilingtage.
The IG has also declared that a decisive repression will be launched against land monopolizations, and that all stacked rail land will be recovered at all costs.
In order to improve daily operations, all police stations under the railways were provided with essential stationery and basic items required for routine work.
In addition, a summary was sent to improve the remuneration scales of railway police personnel to get them equally with other law enforcement forces.
The Jaffar Express was attacked on March 11 when the militants of the Balutchistan Liberation Army (BLA) set an ambush on the train to Peshawar, which transported 440 passengers. The attackers opened fire and took hostages, causing a security operation that lasted two days.
Immediately after the attack, the security of the stations across the country had strengthened.
Earlier this week, the Ministry of Railways informed the National Assembly that security has been accelerated with increased deployment of Pakistani railway staff (PRP) and the body front (FC) in the Quetta division stations.
Additional security has also been provided on Jaffar and Bolan Express trains between Quetta and Jacobabad.
Responding in writing to a question from MNA Shahida Rehmani, the ministry said that FC staff had been parked in key stations in the region, with stakes installed in hilly expanses between Mach and Sibi.
As an additional precaution, a pilot engine now precedes the Jaffar Express daily from Quetta to Sibi to ensure that the track is clear of any threat.
