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Last Updated:March 11, 2025, 17:59 IST
Pakistan Train Hijack LIVE Updates: BLA separatist militants hijacked the Quetta-Peshawar Jaffar Express train on Tuesday, killing security personnel and taking passengers hostage.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has been responsible for several terrorist attacks in Balochistan. (Reuters/File)
Pakistan Train Hijack LIVE: In a major escalation of separatist conflict in Pakistan, separatist militants in Balochistan province attacked a Peshawar-bound train on Tuesday, taking nearly 450 passengers hostage, including women and children.
In a statement, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a militant separatist group responsible for several deadly attacks, claimed responsibility for the hostage crisis and said they had taken hostages from the train, including security forces. Six military personnel were killed in the attack, they said.
“The Baloch Liberation Army has carried out a meticulously planned operation in Mashkaf, Dhadar, Bolan, where our freedom fighters have blown up the railway track, forcing the Jaffar Express to come to a halt. The fighters swiftly took control of the train, holding all passengers hostage,” it said.
A train driver was allegedly injured in the firing on Tuesday, according to police and railway officials. Teh train was on its way to Peshawar from Quetta when it was fired upon. Rescue teams and security forces have reached the scene, and an operation is underway to track down the militants.
However, the BLA claimed to have “completely repelled” a ground assault by the Pakistani Army, forcing troops to retreat, and took 100 security personnel into captivity. The BLA issued a final warning to execute all hostages if the military did not halt airstrikes.
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Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: BJP MP Slams Pakistan After Attack, Says 'Did Not Pay Attention To People'
Reacting to the Jaffar Express train hijack by BLA militants in Balochistan, BJP MP Ghulam Ali Khatana slammed the government of Pakistan for not building any infrastructure and ignoring the needs of their people.
“What has Pakistan done till date? It gained independence along with India, but did not build infrastructure. They have always created problems. Sometimes in Punjab, sometimes in Kashmir, sometimes in Afghanistan. They did not pay attention to their people. Pakistan’s mindset is such that they want these things to happen to them,” he told ANI.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: 'Pakistan Army Closed Doors For Negotiation', Baloch Activist Tells CNN-News18
Mehran Marri, a Baloch activist and the head of the United Baloch Army, confirmed that military personnel were being held captive on the Jaffar Express train captured by BLA militants. He said the Pakistani Army closed the doors for any negotiations with the Baloch people.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: Intense Clash Between BLA, Pakistani Security Forces Underway Near Jaffar Express
An intense and tough battle between BLA militants and Pakistani security forces is currently underway near the Jaffar Express train, as per reports citing security sources. The Jaffar Express train is held hostage under a tunnel, which makes the operation very complex.
BLA militants attacked the train while it was on the way to Peshawar and took hundreds of passengers, including women and children. They are also in touch with their handlers outside Pakistan, according to Pakistani journalist Wajahat Kazmi.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: 'Pakistani Security Forces Will Free Hostages', Says Journalist
Senior Pakistani journalist Ijaz Ahmed exuded confidence in the ability of the security forces to rescue the hostages from the Jaffar Express, which the BLA attacked on Tuesday.
“It is a difficult situation but Pakistani security forces have reached the site. They will be able to free the hostages. It might take some time but they are experienced in handling such operations,” he told India Today.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: Pakistani Forces 'Forced To Retreat' After Taking On BLA Militants, Airstrikes Continue
The BLA said in its second statement, following the Jaffar Express attack, that Pakistani ground troops were forced to retreat after a ground assault, but airstrikes from helicopters and drones continued unabated.
It issued a final warning – “if the aerial bombardment is not halted immediately, all 100+ hostages will be executed within the next hour”. It said over 100 “enemy personnel: remained in BLA custody.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: Over 100 Security Personnel Under BLA Captivity After Military Attack
Over 100 Pakistani security personnel is under the captivity of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) after the group claimed to successfully repel a military ground assault following an attack on the Jaffar Express train. The BLA warned that if the aerial bombardment was not stopped, all hostages would be executed within the next hour.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: Mohsin Naqvi Condemns Attack, Wishes For Speedy Recovery Of Injured
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the incident and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the firing. “The beasts who fire on innocent passengers do not deserve any concessions,” he said in a statement.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: Emergency Imposed In Hospitals, Balochistan Govt Urges Calm
An emergency has been imposed in the Sibi hospital in the wake of the Jaffar Express attack by the BLA militants, with the Balochistan government urging people to remain calm. “The scale of the incident and the possibility of terrorist elements are being determined,” said a government spokesperson.
An emergency has also been declared at the Civil Hospital Quetta, said Pakistan’s Health Department Spokesperson Dr Waseem Baig. All doctors, nurses, consultants, paramedics and other staff have been summoned to the hospital.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: Train Stuck Before A Tunnel, Says Police Official
A senior police official from the area bordering Sibi, who chose to remain anonymous, told AFP that the “train remains stuck just before a tunnel surrounded by mountains”. The mountainous region makes it easier for militants to plan attacks.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: How Was The Train Hijacked?
The BLA assailants first blew up the track and later opened fire on the Jaffar Express train carrying over 400 passengers to Peshawar. Security officials on the train and attackers exchanged heavy firing following the attack, sources told Geo News.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: What Is Baloch Liberation Army?
The BLA, responsible for several terrorist attacks in Balochistan, is a separatist group fighting for increased autonomy and the recognition of Baloch people’s rights. It argues that the Baloch people are being marginalised and exploited by the central government, particularly due to the region’s abundant natural resources.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: No Contact With Passengers, Staff, Say Railway Officials
Railway officials said they have been unable to establish any contact with 450 passengers and staff after the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militants hijacked the Quetta-Peshawar Jaffar Express train on Tuesday.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: Rescue Officials Reach Site Of Attack
According to the Balochistan government, ambulances and security forces have reached the site of the incident and are attempting to track down the militants. The railways department has sent more trains to the site for rescue efforts.
The train driver sustained serious injuries in the attack. An emergency relief team has been dispatched to assist the train driver, according to The Express Tribune.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: What Did The Baloch Liberation Army Say?
Taking responsibility for the attack, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) said it fired upon the Jaffar Express train en route to Peshawar, killing six security personnel and taking hundreds of passengers hostage.
“This operation is being conducted jointly by the Majeed Brigade, STOS, and Fateh Squad —specialized units of the BLA. Any military incursion will be met with an equally forceful response,” it said in a statement, warning that it will execute passengers if a military operation is conducted.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: How Many Passengers Were In The Train?
While some reports suggest that there were 400 passengers in the train, Controller Railways Muhammad Kashif told Dawn that the train, comprising nine coaches, had 500 passengers on board. The train was stopped by the armed militants in Tunnel No 8 en route to Peshawar, he said.
Pakistan Train Hijack Live Updates: Peshawar-Bound Train Hijacked By Militants
The separatist group, Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) fired upon a train on its way from Quetta to Peshawar in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing security personnel and holding hundreds of passengers hostage.
