The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked a Pakistan train in a deadly 30-hour standoff, leaving dozens dead. The Jaffar Express, carrying over 440 passengers, was attacked in the Bolan Pass, a remote mountainous region of Balochistan. Militants bombed the tracks, fired at the train, and took hostages, demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners.
Ambush and Hijacking
Passenger Mehboob Hussain recalled how the train came to a halt after an explosion on the tracks. Before anyone could react, gunfire erupted. Militants stormed the train, forcing passengers off and separating them based on ethnicity.
A railway police officer on board described the desperate attempts to fight back. Armed with limited ammunition, officers resisted the attackers for over an hour before running out of bullets. “We were helpless,” he said. The BLA fighters, positioned on a mountain, outnumbered the security forces on the train.
Hostages Executed
Eyewitnesses recounted horrifying moments as militants executed hostages. The officer recalled, “They would receive orders, pick people from the group, and kill them.” Both military personnel and civilians lost their lives.
Noor Muhammad, one of those released, described how he was escorted off the train. His wife was later brought to him before they were told to walk away without looking back.
Read: Pakistan Army Rescues 300 Hostages from Hijacked Train
Escape Attempts and More Bloodshed
As night fell, many militants left, but a smaller group remained, watching over the hostages. Around 10 PM, an attempt to escape turned deadly. Some passengers tried to flee, but militants opened fire, killing several.
Mehboob Hussain recalled the terror of watching fellow passengers shot before his eyes. One man, pleading for his life because he had five daughters, was executed. Another, Allahditta, witnessed his cousin being killed despite begging for mercy.
Final Assault and Rescue
At dawn on Wednesday, Pakistan’s paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) launched an assault. Gunfire erupted, giving some passengers a chance to escape. Allahditta managed to break free during the chaos.
The railway police officer also fled with a wounded companion. As militants fired at them, he carried his injured friend on his shoulder, struggling through the rugged terrain. Eventually, they made it out of the firing range.
Unanswered Questions
By the time security forces regained control, 33 militants, 21 civilian hostages, and four military personnel were dead. Authorities reported 300 passengers were freed, but 140 remain unaccounted for. Some militants reportedly escaped with hostages, leaving uncertainty about their fate.
Military operations continued to locate survivors and capture those responsible. Meanwhile, families of missing passengers waited anxiously for news. Survivors, like Noor and his wife, thanked fate for their escape, while others mourned the devastating loss of loved ones.
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