A deadly hostage crisis aboard a passenger train in Pakistan’s Balochistan province ended in bloodshed as security forces launched an operation to rescue nearly 350 hostages.
The attack, which was carried out by militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), resulted in the deaths of 21 hostages and one soldier, while at least 35 militants were killed in the operation.
The hijacking unfolded on Tuesday when heavily armed BLA militants stormed the Jaffer Express, which was travelling from Quetta to Peshawar. As the train passed through a tunnel, the attackers opened heavy gunfire, creating panic among passengers. Around 450 people were on board at the time.
Pakistan’s military launched an operation to regain control of the train, but the militants reportedly used women and children as human shields, making the rescue effort more difficult.
Security sources claimed the militants were in contact with handlers in Afghanistan, escalating tensions between the two neighbouring countries. The Pakistani government has long accused Afghanistan of harbouring Baloch separatist groups, a claim the Taliban administration denies.
One of the survivors of the attack, a woman who managed to escape, described the horrifying ordeal, saying she had to run through gunfire and walk for two hours to find safety.
Another passenger, Mohammad Ashraf, recounted seeing more than 100 armed individuals on the train but said that no harm was inflicted on women and children.
Growing Insurgency in Balochistan
The attack is the latest in a decades-long insurgency in Balochistan, where militant groups have been fighting for greater autonomy and economic rights.
The province, rich in minerals and strategically significant, has seen a surge in violence, particularly since the development of the Gwadar port under China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Baloch militants have long accused the federal government of exploiting the region’s natural resources while neglecting its local population.
This growing discontent has led to increasingly sophisticated attacks on infrastructure, security forces, and foreign investments, particularly Chinese projects in the region.
According to analysts, the recent attack signifies an escalation in BLA’s tactics, reflecting their growing operational capabilities.
Abdul Basit, a security expert at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, noted that Pakistan’s approach to countering the insurgency has failed. He stated that the government needs to rethink its strategy, as the militants have evolved both in their planning and execution of attacks.
Previous Attacks and Pakistan’s Response
The BLA has carried out several high-profile attacks in recent years. In November, a suicide bombing at a train station in Quetta killed more than two dozen people.
The previous month, the group targeted a convoy of Chinese engineers, leading to multiple casualties. These attacks have raised concerns about the security of foreign investments in the province.
Following Tuesday’s hijacking, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eradicating terrorism. He called the targeting of innocent passengers during Ramadan a “clear reflection that these terrorists have no connection with Islam or Pakistan.”
