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The Pakistan Army has successfully freed more than 300 hostages from a passenger train hijacked by militants in Balochistan province, military officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The Pakistan Army has successfully freed all train passengers taken hostage by militants in Balochistan province, military officials confirmed on Wednesday. During the operation, at least 33 militants were killed, while 27 off-duty soldiers and one army personnel lost their lives in the siege.
"346 hostages were freed and over 30 terrorists were killed during the operation," an army official told AFP.
The Jaffar Express, carrying approximately 400 passengers, was en route from Quetta to Peshawar when it was derailed and seized by militants using explosives. The attack occurred near the mountainous terrain of Gudalar and Piru Kunri, about 160 kilometers from Quetta. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the hijacking, marking the first such incident involving a passenger train by the group.
According to military officials, the operation to reclaim the train was conducted with extreme caution, as militants had used women and children as human shields. Over 190 passengers were initially rescued before the final phase of the military operation ensured the safe evacuation of the remaining hostages. Some of the injured passengers were transported to hospitals for medical treatment.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry stated that approximately 70 to 80 militants were involved in the attack. He also warned against misinformation, clarifying that mobile internet services were suspended in the area and videos circulating on social media were fake.
Survivors described the harrowing ordeal, with some recounting that militants forced passengers to separate based on identity cards. Mushtaq Muhammad, a rescued passenger, recalled the terrifying moments when militants stormed the train after an intense gun battle. "They told us they would not harm civilians, women, elderly people, and Baloch passengers," he said.
Eyewitness Ishaq Noor, who was traveling with his wife and two children, described the explosion as so intense that windows and doors of the train shook. "There was relentless gunfire. We hid our children under us to shield them from bullets," he said.
The Pakistan military stated that the search operation is still ongoing to eliminate any remaining threats in the area. State-run Radio Pakistan confirmed that all terrorists involved in the hijacking had been neutralized.
The attack has drawn strong condemnation from the international community. The US Embassy in Islamabad expressed solidarity with Pakistan, calling the incident a "horrific act" and extending condolences to the victims. The European Union’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Riina Kionka, also condemned the attack, calling for the immediate release of hostages.
Balochistan has been a hotbed of insurgency for years, with separatist groups like the BLA demanding greater autonomy or independence, citing exploitation of the province’s mineral resources by Islamabad. The province has witnessed an increase in terrorist attacks over the past year, with insurgents frequently targeting security forces and infrastructure projects, including those associated with the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Pakistan Railways has set up emergency desks at Peshawar and Quetta railway stations to assist families seeking information about their loved ones. Train services between Quetta and Peshawar had only recently resumed following a previous suspension due to security concerns.
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