On Tuesday (11th March), the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) which seeks independence of Balochistan from Pakistan hijacked a passenger train named Jaffar Express carrying around 400 passengers. The train with nine coaches was heading from Quetta in Balochistan to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when it was fired on by the Baloch fighters. These rebels had blown the railway tracks forcing the train to stop and boarded it.
In a statement, the Baloch Liberation Army said that if the Pakistani authorities launched an operation against them, they would kill all the hostages. While several media reports claim that 400 people have been taken hostage by BLA fighters, the rebel group in its statement said that they have taken over 100 passengers hostage.
“Any military incursion will be met with an equally forceful response. So far, six military personnel have been killed, and hundreds of passengers remain under BLA custody. The Baloch Liberation Army takes full responsibility for this operation,” the BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said adding that women, children and Baloch passengers were released.
Jeeyand Baloch said that this has been done to ensure that only serving personnel of the “occupying forces” remain with them. The BLA spokesperson further stated that the operation is being carried out by the BLA Majeed Brigade Fateh Squad and STOS.
According to a statement from the BLA, women, children, and Baloch passengers have been freed, while military personnel remain captive. The BLA has held 182 passengers as hostages, the group’s statement released on Telegram said. It also warned of executions of hostages if Pakistani army intervened.
Meanwhile, the Balochistan government’s spokesperson Shahid Rind said that emergency measures have been imposed and all institutions have been mobilised to deal with the situation.
