Pakistani security forces are engaged in a high-stakes rescue operation to free passengers taken hostage by separatist militants who hijacked the Jaffar Express in Balochistan on Tuesday. The train, carrying 425 passengers, including military personnel on leave, was en route from Quetta to Peshawar when militants attacked, blowing up railway tracks and opening fire, killing the driver and trapping the train in a tunnel.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), an ethnic armed group, has claimed responsibility for the attack, demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners and activists within 48 hours. The group has threatened to execute hostages if their demands are not met.
So far, security forces have rescued 155 passengers and killed 27 militants in an intense operation involving special forces and helicopters. However, the presence of attackers wearing suicide vests seated near hostages has complicated the rescue efforts.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, calling it a conspiracy to destabilize the nation. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi vowed to thwart the militants’ plans, labeling them as enemies of Pakistan. The operation continues as the government works to secure the release of the remaining hostages.