ISLAMABAD, March 11 – The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for hijacking a passenger train in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, holding hundreds of passengers hostage and killing six Pakistani military personnel.
The Jaffar Express, carrying over 400 passengers in nine coaches, was en route from Quetta to Peshawar when militants attacked and forced it to stop in the Mushqaf area of Bolan district, railway officials told Reuters. The attackers reportedly blew up the tracks before boarding the train.
In a statement shared on social media, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch warned that hostages would be executed if security forces launched a rescue operation. “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 statement read.
Security forces had reached the site, and emergency measures were being taken, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said, adding that all institutions had been mobilized to handle the crisis.
The BLA, the largest of several separatist groups in Balochistan, has waged an insurgency for decades, demanding independence and accusing Pakistan of exploiting the region’s vast gas and mineral resources. The province, which makes up 44% of Pakistan’s landmass but has the country’s lowest population, is home to Gwadar Port, a key hub for regional and global trade.
