‘Gunmen opened fire…’: Chilling account of Pakistan train hijacking in Balochistan
Gunmen from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) attacked a passenger train in southwestern Pakistan, killing 21 hostages. Security forces responded swiftly, eliminating all 33 attackers and rescuing the remaining passengers. Officials confirmed the operation’s success on Wednesday.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar blamed the BLA for the assault. He praised the military for preventing a larger disaster. Sarfraz Bugti, Balochistan’s chief minister, confirmed that troops neutralized all insurgents.
Survivors recalled chaos as the militants took control. Passengers described how gunmen checked identity cards, executed soldiers, and released some families. Muhammad Naveed, an escapee, told AFP, “They ordered us off the train one by one. Women and elders were spared, but they picked people and shot them.”
Babar Masih, a Christian laborer, walked for hours with his family through rugged terrain to reach safety. “Our women begged for mercy, and they let us go,” he said. As they ran, others fled alongside them.
Noman Ahmed, a steelworker returning home for Eid, described the terrifying moments. “When we heard the blast, we dropped to the floor and locked the carriage door,” he told The New York Times. Moments later, gunmen forced passengers out. Some refused and were shot inside the train.
The Jaffer Express was en route from Quetta to Peshawar when the attackers detonated explosives on the tracks. The blast halted the train, trapping it partially inside a tunnel. Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, has long been a center of insurgency. Baloch separatists demand more autonomy and a greater share of natural resources.
The BLA, known for targeting security forces, issued threats against hostages. In November, they killed 26 people in a suicide bombing at a Quetta train station. Analysts warned that attacking civilians could erode their support. Security expert Syed Muhammad Ali noted, “Shifting from military to civilian targets may grab attention but will weaken their base.”
Authorities transported rescued passengers to their hometowns. Some injured victims were taken to Quetta, 62 miles away, for treatment. The military’s rapid response prevented further bloodshed, but the attack underscored ongoing instability in the region.
