According to the reports on Wednesday (12 March), Security forces in Pakistan launched an operation to rescue passengers of the Jaffar Express after Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militants hijacked the train en route from Quetta to Peshawar. The attackers blew up the railway track, took more than 400 passengers hostage, and engaged in heavy gunfire with security forces. As the military response intensified, 155 passengers were rescued, while 27 militants were reported killed. However, the BLA denied these claims, insisting that most hostages remained in their custody.
The militants issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners, threatening to execute five hostages every hour if their demands were not met. Security sources stated that the terrorists had been in contact with facilitators in Afghanistan and had deployed suicide bombers near the captives. The Pakistani military proceeded with caution due to the presence of civilians, while helicopters and special forces were deployed to neutralize the attackers. The train remained stranded at the attack site as clashes continued.
Emergency measures were put in place, with hospitals in Quetta and Sibi put on high alert. Authorities also faced challenges in communication as mobile services in the area were unavailable. The provincial government condemned the attack, while top officials, including President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, praised security forces for their efforts. Despite reports of hostages being freed, the BLA claimed responsibility for the attack and insisted that they still held Pakistani security personnel captive.
The attack underscored ongoing tensions between separatist militants and the Pakistani state, with the BLA demanding greater autonomy for Balochistan. The Pakistani government vowed to continue its fight against terrorism, emphasizing that the operation would persist until all hostages were freed and the militants were eliminated. The situation remains tense, with ongoing military engagement and the risk of further violence as security forces work to secure the remaining hostages.
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