Militants blew up railway track in Pakistan's Balochistan province

ISLAMABAD: Militants today blew up a railway track using a powerful IED in Pakistan's restive southwestern Balochistan province, suspending movement of trains on the route.

The unknown militants detonated the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Bakhtiarabad area of Sibi district, officials said.

The device was planted near the track which was destroyed in the explosion, suspending train services between Balochistan and other parts of the country. Passenger trains were stopped at different locations owing to security reasons. No damage to life was reported.

Security personnel reached the scene to investigate the incident and nab the militants. Nobody took responsibility for the attack, but Baloch nationalist often target train services and security forces in the volatile region.

Separatist groups have been fighting a low-key insurgency since 2004 in Balochistan which turned deadlier after the murder of Jamhoori Watan Party leader Nawab Akbar Bugti in a military operation in 2006.

At least 17 people were killed and 45 injured in a powerful explosion in a train at Sibi station last April when President Mamnoon Hussain was in Quetta on a two-day visit.