Pakistan Train Hijack: Security Forces Rescued Over 100 Hostages (Photo on X @BIPANTHUSOO)
Pakistan: The security forces in Pakistan have reportedly rescued over 100 hostages held by militants after hijacking a train carrying over 400 passengers. The train was attacked in the restive Balochistan region, taking the passengers hostages. The gunfight between the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and the Pakistani forces continued overnight to rescue the captives.
The rescued passengers included 58 men, 31 women and 15 children. Security officials said that at least 16 terrorists were killed during the operation. The Jaffar Express was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar when armed men intercepted it in a tunnel near the mountainous terrain of Gudalar and Piru Kunri on Tuesday.
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Claiming responsibility, the BLA, which seeks political autonomy in Baluchistan, demanded the release of Baloch political prisoners and missing persons whom they claim were kidnapped by the military. The group had earlier threatened that it would execute hostages if the security forces launched an operation against them.
However, the military has announced that it will continue efforts until all passengers are rescued from the train. It is reported that the militants have taken some of the hostages into the mountains, and the security forces have followed them.
Though the BLA has claimed to have killed several soldiers, the authorities have not confirmed any casualties. The media have reported intense firing and explosions near the tunnel, where the militants hijacked the train. The Railway has set up emergency desks at the Peshawar and Quetta Railway stations to deal with victims and their family members.
District police officer Rana Muhammad Dilawar has said that the security forces have surrounded the area, including the tunnel. Officials have urged people not to pay heed to rumors on social media.
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Reacting to the developments, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the attack, while interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accused the militants of conspiring to create instability in the country. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the attack and called for the immediate release of the hostages.
The BLA’s major objective toto cave out separate Baloch state out of Pakistan, and the militants have been carrying out attacks in the region. In January this year at least six people were killed in an attack also claimed by the group. In November last year, the BLA also carried out at the railway station in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, killing at least 39 people.
