Pakistan Train Hijack LIVE: BLA Says It Killed 50 More Soldiers, Reminds Pakistan Of Looming Deadline

The Russian Embassy in Pakistan on Wednesday strongly condemned the “barbaric attack” on the Jaffar Express train in Balochistan.

In its latest statement on Wednesday, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) announced that it has had full control over the Jaffar Express and its hostages for the past 24 hours, holding more than 200 Pakistani personnel, including intelligence agents, police, and paramilitary forces.

Despite giving Pakistan a 48-hour ultimatum for a prisoner exchange, the BLA has stated that with only 24 hours remaining, if no progress is made, all hostages will be tried in the Baloch Court for their involvement in war crimes. “If this attitude persists then with every passing hour after the ultimatum expires, five hostages will be punished.” the BLA warned.

China should be worried about recent attacks by groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) targeting Beijing’s interests in Balochistan, top Indian intelligence sources told CNN-News18.

Pakistan’s failure to effectively handle direct attacks on Beijing’s significant investments in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a cause for concern, they added. READ FULL REPORT 

The BLA is the strongest of a number of insurgent groups long operating in the area bordering Afghanistan and Iran, a mineral-rich region that is home to Beijing’s investment in Gwadar deep water port and other projects.

The BLA seeks independence for Balochistan, a province located in Pakistan’s southwest and bordering Afghanistan to the north and Iran to the west. It is the biggest of several ethnic insurgent groups that have battled the federal government for decades, saying it unfairly exploits Balochistan’s rich gas and mineral resources.

Rescue operations became difficult as attackers were sitting next to passengers wearing suicide bombs.

The government said a security operation was under way to free dozens still held hostage, without specifying the exact number.

Pakistani security forces exchanged gunfire on Wednesday with hundreds of separatist militants as they sought to free about 300 hostages aboard a train.

Security forces were being cautious as officials said the hostages were surrounded by militants wearing vests loaded with explosives.

Balochistan is key to both Pakistan and China. It is an integral part of the CPEC. The region houses key mining projects.

Notably, China also operates a gold and copper mine in the province.

Balochistan has been facing insurgency for several decades and the province is one of the most unstable.

The BLA is one of the strongest insurgent groups operating out of Balochistan and one of its key demands has been to carve out a separate Baloch state out of Pakistan.

The group has gained strength in the past couple of years as Pakistan faced economic and political uncertainty.

A passenger named Allahditta recalled the situation in Jaffar Express at the time of hijack told AFP, “People began hiding under the seats in panic. The militants separated the men from the women.”

The militant allowed him and his family to go as he was a heart patient.

Suspected Baloch gunmen opened fire at a train in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan on Tuesday, injuring several passengers.

Jaffar Express was on its way from Quetta to Peshawar in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa when it was fired upon between Gudalaar and Piru Koneri in a tunnel, according to officials.

Pakistani separatist militant group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for attacking a train in southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday and said they have taken scores of hostages, including security personnel who were on the train on leave and threatened to kill them.

The BLA is one of the strongest insurgent groups operating out of Balochistan and one of its key demands has been to carve out a separate Baloch state out of Pakistan. It is active in the area bordering Afghanistan and Iran, a mineral-rich region that is home to Beijing’s investment in Gwadar deep water port and other key projects, like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Major Gen GD Bakshi (Retd), while speaking to ANI, said the Pakistan Army has a style of showing off by bringing in artillery and said the military may end up killing several civilians in its attempt to rescue hostages from the Jaffar Express train captured by BLA militants.

“These are precision operations which our NSG carries out very well, but the Pak Army has a style to show off and bring major artillery. I think that the Pakistan army will carry out a ham-handed operation which may kill many civilians,” he said. ” I think the time for the birth of Balochistan has come.”

Reacting to the train attack in Balochistan, Major General (retd) GD Bakshi cast doubt on the Pakistani Army’s ability to rescue hostages without casualties and said that Balochistan was “out of control of Pakistan” due to a rise in militant attacks.

“There is a demoralisation in the Pakistan Army. The train hijack in Balochistan is very significant. A train has 450-500 people, and they have taken them as hostages,” he told ANI. “Hostage rescue is a very delicate operation. I don’t think that the Pakistan Army could carry out such operations without casualties.”

Pakistan’s military establishment is facing a gigantic crisis after Baloch separatist militants captured the Jaffar Express train in Balochistan. The latest statement by the BLA indicate that a large number of Army personnel have been killed fighting the militants as they struggle to rescue hostages.

The BLA has given a 48-hour ultimatum for a prisoner exchange, which may be too short for the Army, risking the lives of more than 200 security personnel. Baloch activist Mama Qadir Baloch told CNN-News18 that all Army personnel fighting the rebels have been killed.

Pakistani separatist militant group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) issued a fresh deadline to the Pakistani government on Tuesday demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners in exchange for the 214 hostages it is holding.

In its newly released statement, it called the Pakistani government an “occupying state” and listed its demands. “BLA has maintained complete control of the train and all hostages for the past eight hours. Under the rules of war, these 214 hostages are considered prisoners of war and BLA is prepared for a prisoner exchange. The occupying state of Pakistan is given 48 hours to immediately and unconditionally release Baloch political prisoners, forcibly disappeared persons and national resistance activists,” the statement said.

The separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) on Tuesday attacked and took control of a train in Pakistan, holding 182 passengers hostage. In an exclusive conversation with CNN-News18, Balochistan activist Mama Qadeer Baloch claimed that around 150 military personnel travelling by the Jaffar Express were killed by the militants during the operation.

“BLA has made several similar attempts in their bid for independence. They have taken many people captive in the past too,” he said. “They learnt that many army personnel on leave for Eid were travelling by this train. They were separated from the others and then killed. Around 150 soldiers were killed…This is the biggest such operation of its kind.”

The BLA said they have maintained complete control of the Jaffar Express train and all 214 hostages, saying it is prepared for a prisoner exchange. ” The occupying state of Pakistan is given 48 hours to immediately and unconditionally release Baloch political prisoners, forcibly disappeared persons and national resistance activists,” the group said in a statement.

The 214 hostages comprised Pakistani personnel, including military, paramilitary, police and intelligence officers. The BLA threatened to “neutralise” all captives and destroy the train if the demands were not met.

Offering a marginally diminished figure, local police in Balochistan said the BLA militants have taken only 35 passengers hostage after attacking a train in southwestern Pakistan, and nearly 350 other passengers are believed to be safe.

The Baloch Liberation Army, a separatist militant group, said they had 182 hostages in total and threatened to kill them if security forces did not leave the area.

Nearly 350 passengers are believed to be safe after the train attack in Balochistan, according to the local police. The BLA had released civilian hostages from the Jaffar Express train, while keeping military personnel captive.

“Around 350 passengers, including women and children are saved and a relief train will be reaching the area where the train was attacked,” a district senior police officer, Rana Dilawar, told Reuters.

More than 1,600 people were killed in attacks in Pakistan in 2024 – the deadliest year in almost a decade – according to the Center for Research and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based analysis group.

In November, the BLA claimed responsibility for a bombing at Quetta’s main railway station that killed 26 people, including 14 soldiers. They also killed seven ethnic Punjabi travellers in February.