Pakistan train hijack: Over 100 rescued, 214 passengers still held hostage

Kathmandu– The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has hijacked the Zafar Express train in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. At least 30 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the attack and 214 passengers were taken hostage.
After the incident, Pakistani security forces launched a clearance operation in Bolan district of Balochistan, in which 16 attackers were killed and 104 civilians were rescued, according to Pakistani media.

The Jafar Express train was going from Quetta to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was carrying more than 400 passengers. Baloch militants, taking advantage of the mountainous terrain, detonated an explosive device on the railway track near the Mashqaf tunnel in Bolan district. Due to the explosion, the train derailed. They then opened fire and captured the train. Among the hostages are 58 men, 31 women and 15 children.
It is mentioned in the news that the Pakistani security forces started the operation immediately but the operation became complicated due to the difficult terrain. The BLA issued a statement declaring the hostages prisoners of war. The organization has given a 48-hour ultimatum to release its fighters. The Pakistani army has warned that they will kill all the hostages if they continue their operations. The train, which left Quetta at 9 am local time, was carrying about 450 passengers in nine coaches. The BLA separatist group is the cause of increasing violence in South (West) Pakistan.