At least 10 people have been killed, including nine security personnel, after a group of separatist militants hijacked a train carrying hundreds of passengers in the southwestern province of Balochistan on Tuesday. The devastating attack has sparked a tense standoff between the militants and security forces, with the latter still working to rescue the remaining hostages.
According to government and railway officials, the train, known as the Jaffer Express, was carrying approximately 450 passengers, including 58 men, 31 women, and 15 children, when it was stopped by the militants at a tunnel in the Bolan region. The attack occurred around 2 pm local time, with the militants using “intense gunfire” to take control of the train.
The militants, believed to be affiliated with the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), have been involved in a decades-long insurgency in the region, which has seen significant escalation in recent years. The BLA has been responsible for several deadly attacks in Pakistan, including the deadliest attack in the past year.
Imran Hayat, a senior railway official, confirmed the death toll, stating that the only fatality among the passengers was the train driver. “Nine of those killed were security personnel, and one was the train driver,” Hayat said in a statement.
The situation is being described as “challenging” by officials, with access to the train being restricted due to its location in the mountainous region of Sibi. “Armed individuals stopped Jaffer Express inside Tunnel No. 8 (in Bolan),” Muhammad Kashif, Quetta Railways’ controller, explained.
Rescue efforts are underway, with 104 hostages having been freed by security forces, including 58 men, 31 women, and 15 children. Injured passengers have been taken to hospital, and the remaining hostages are still being held by the militants.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the attack, stating, “The terrorists’ targeting of innocent passengers during the peaceful and blessed month of Ramadan is a clear reflection that these terrorists have no connection with the religion of Islam, Pakistan, or Balochistan.” Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has also vowed to continue operations until the last terrorist is eliminated.
As the situation still unfolds, the people of Quetta are reeling from the attack, with many searching for loved ones who were on the hijacked train. Junaid Ahmed, a resident of Quetta, has been trying to locate his cousins, who were on the train at the time of the incident.
“When I found out about the train incident, I lost contact with them. I came here (Quetta Railway Station), but officials here are saying that they are unable to make any contact too,” he lamented.
The Balochistan government has directed emergency response efforts, with a relief train sent to the scene. The situation is a stark reminder of the ongoing insurgency in the region, which has been fueled by concerns over the exploitation of the region’s natural resources and the perceived neglect of the local population. The BLA has been responsible for many violent attacks, and their actions have been condemned by the international community.
As the situation continues to unfold, the people of Pakistan and Balochistan can only hope for a swift and safe resolution to this crisis, as well as justice for the victims and their families.
