ISLAMABAD: Ethnic Baloch insurgents hijacked a passenger train in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province Tuesday, killing at least 20 soldiers and taking 182 hostages in a remote mountainous area. Banned separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for South Asia’s first train hijack by militants.
BLA warned of “severe consequences” if security forces attempted a rescue operation. “If the Pakistani military attempts to approach, all hostages will be executed,” it said in a statement.
Pakistani authorities are yet to devise a strategy to secure the hostages without triggering a massacre.
The nine-coach Jaffar Express carrying about 500 passengers was en route from provincial capital Quetta to Peshawar, a distance of 1,600km. The train was attacked around 1.30pm (IST) in Sibi district, 160km southeast of Quetta, and it stopped near a tunnel.
The militants bombed the tracks before storming the train, severely wounding the driver as they seized control.
Provincial govt spokesperson Shahid Rind said an emergency had been declared at a hospital in Sibi. Security forces also confirmed an explosion near the tunnel and said they were exchanging fire with the militants.
BLA claimed in its statement that the hostages include Pakistani soldiers and other security officials traveling on leave. “Civilian passengers, particularly women, children, the elderly, and Baloch citizens, have been released safely and given a secure route,” the group said.
A railway officer in Quetta said 60 passengers had left the train and arrived safely at Panir, suggesting that non-Baloch passengers were among those held.
“We are unable to make any contact with passengers and crew as mobile and telephone service is not working in the area,” Quetta railway controller Muhammad Kashif said.
According to the BLA, the attack was executed by its specialised units — Majeed Brigade, Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS), and Fateh Squad.
BLA has been targeting security forces, infrastructure, and Chinese interests, including a suicide bombing at Quetta railway station on Nov 9 last year that killed at least 32 people and wounded 55. BLA also targeted the motorway at Jinnah international airport on Oct 6, 2024, killing two Chinese nationals and wounding 10 people.
The hijacking could have serious consequences for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Balochistan. The province also houses the strategically significant Gwadar port, the entry point for CPEC. Baloch insurgents have long opposed the project, accusing China and Pakistani govt of colonising the region and exploiting its vast natural resources.