The Jaffar Express, heading from Quetta to Peshawar, which had been taken hostage by the terrorists belonging to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) 16 days ago, has resumed its service, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The train, carrying 280 passengers, which left Peshawar for Quetta on Thursday, will reach its destination at 5:00 PM on Friday after a 34-hour-long journey.
Pakistan Railway officials said that Jaffar Express was the only train, which passed through all the four provinces.
Federal Minister Ameer Muqam saw off the passengers at Peshawar railway station.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that those who did not want Pakistan and Balochistan to develop had been disappointed today after the resumption of the train service. “The entire nation is standing against terrorism firm like a rock,” he added.
The minister said it was Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s desire that the train service be resumed at the earliest.
He further said that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan had faced terrorism in the past as well, and this time too, they would face it manfully.
Several people, including security forces personnel died, when the BLA terrorists hijacked the train on March 11 while it was on its way from Quetta to Peshawar.
As many as 346 passengers were rescued in the operation carried out against the terrorists, while 33 BLA attackers were also killed as per the version given by the ISPR.