Pakistan Railways has unveiled premium upgrades for commuters traveling the perilous route through Balochistan. Executive ticket holders can now enjoy complimentary morning pastries alongside bespoke ballistics protection.
QUETTA — The platform at Quetta Railway Station smelled faintly of diesel exhaust and crushed cardamom as the morning mist burned off the tracks. Inside the newly refurbished first-class cabins of the Jaffer Express, passengers settled into crushed velvet seats, taking care not to scuff the elegantly upholstered sandbags stacked firmly against the reinforced windows.
The upgrades, introduced this week by the state-owned rail operator, aim to bring a touch of old-world glamour to a 34-hour journey frequently interrupted by small-arms fire, separatist bombings, and the occasional anti-tank rocket. While economy passengers must still rely on standard metal siding and the cover of darkness as the train snakes through the restive mountains of Balochistan, premium ticket holders can now weather militant crossfire without compromising on interior design.
We realized our executive commuters were tired of diving onto hard linoleum floors every time the train passed through Mach.
By mid-afternoon, as the heavy locomotive descended toward Sibi, the familiar staccato of automatic weapons echoed from the surrounding ridges. Inside Cabin 4, a textile merchant from Lahore calmly adjusted his spectacles, wiped a smudge of drywall dust from his mahogany tray table, and signaled the porter for another cup of tea before the next barrage.