25 Hours On And Counting: What's Slowing Down Jaffar Express Rescue Ops, What Do Baloch Militants Want?

Last Updated:March 12, 2025, 15:07 IST

Balochistan Liberation Army insurgents hijacked a train near Quetta, taking passengers hostage. Pakistani forces rescued 157 so far, but rugged terrain and bombers complicate efforts.

Security forces have been deployed after the Jaffar Express train hijacking. (Image/Agencies)

It’s been 25 hours since Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) insurgents stopped a long-distance train in a rugged, mountainous area south of Quetta and took passengers hostage and 157 passengers have been rescued so far. The Pakistani security forces have now launched a “full-scale" military operation to rescue the remaining hostages.

However, BLA claimed to have released 80 hostages, mostly women and children. They have warned against any invasive action by the Pakistani army, saying they’ll kill all hostages if any action is taken.

The number of militants involved in the attack is not clear yet and the security sources said on Wednesday that 27 had been killed so far.

Here’s why the rescue ops have been slow

Attackers wearing suicide bombs were sitting next to passengers taken hostage after militants took over a train in southwest Pakistan, sources said on Wednesday, complicating rescue efforts a day after the country’s first such hijacking.

Moreover, as the train is inside a tunnel, security forces are unable to carry out aerial ops. Rugged terrain, strategic location, and negotiations are also to be blamed.

Some passengers killed, say eyewitnesses

Several of those rescued were brought to Quetta early Wednesday, escorted by security forces, where their relatives were waiting for them.

“People were attacked … passengers were injured and some passengers died," said Muhammad Ashraf, who was on the train.

Several witnesses interviewed by Geo News said they were asked by security personnel to stay low when there was gunfire.

Visuals from the broadcaster showed those rescued meeting and hugging relatives and friends.

A woman, who said her son was among the passengers still held hostage, confronted provincial minister Mir Zahoor Buledi when he visited the freed passengers.

“If you cannot protect trains, then you should not run them. Please, bring my son back," she said.

Pakistan Railways has suspended all operations from Punjab and Sindh provinces to Balochistan until security agencies confirm the area is safe , local media reported on Wednesday.

Buledi told reporters that the government was working to improve the security situation in the region.

What happened to the Jaffar Express?

The Jaffar Express was carrying over 400 passengers, including many women and children, as well as dozens of security personnel. The passenger list shows 426 ticket holders, though it’s unclear if all of them boarded the train.

The train left Quetta at 9 am (04:00 GMT) on Tuesday, beginning a journey of more than 1,600 km (994 miles) through Punjab to its final destination in Peshawar. The trip typically lasts around 30 hours, with stops at approximately 30 stations along the way.

Railway officials reported that the attack took place around 1 pm (08:00 GMT) while the train was passing through the rugged, mountainous Bolan Pass, an area containing several tunnels built during British colonial rule.

Pak govt’s response

The BLA, a group responsible for numerous attacks in the province in recent years, claimed responsibility for the assault. In a statement, they stated they had killed at least six military personnel and destroyed the railway track, causing the train to halt. The BLA also warned that any military retaliation would have “severe consequences." They claimed that the passengers were taken hostage, although dozens of them later reached a nearby station, Panir.

So far, the Pakistani military has not issued an official statement regarding these claims and did not respond to inquiries from Al Jazeera.

Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for the provincial government, announced that an emergency had been declared at hospitals in Sibi, the nearest city, with all medical staff on high alert to treat any victims of the attack.

Government officials strongly condemned the assault, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressing his prayers for the recovery of the wounded. In his statement, Naqvi declared, “The beasts who fire on innocent passengers do not deserve any concessions."

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