Pakistan Train Hijacking: A Glimpse into Baloch Insurgency and Rising Attacks

A dramatic hostage situation unfolded on Tuesday (March 11) when insurgents from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) intercepted a long-distance train in the rugged, mountainous terrain south of Quetta. According to a statement from the BLA, they claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that they had killed 20 Pakistani Army personnel, shot down a military drone, and taken 182 people hostage, as reported by Reuters on Tuesday evening.  

The separatist group claimed that 30 Pakistani Army personnel were killed in the attack. Issuing a grim ultimatum, the militants warned that all hostages would be executed if security forces did not withdraw from the area.  According to a government spokesperson, Pakistani security forces have so far managed to rescue around 104 passengers from the hijacked train.  

Insurgents from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) ambushed the Jaffar Express near Quetta, taking hostages and demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners and missing persons within 48 hours. The attack, which targeted Pakistani security personnel, resulted in casualties and left the train stranded inside a tunnel.  

Pakistani forces launched a counter-operation involving gunfire and aerial strikes, rescuing some hostages while suffering resistance from the militants, who claimed to have repelled ground assaults. Reports indicate at least 16 militants were killed, but communication with the train’s 450 passengers remains disrupted.  

A relief train carrying reinforcements was dispatched, but the mountainous terrain hampered access. The attack comes amid heightened tensions, as Baloch separatist groups recently unified under the Baloch National Army to intensify their fight for independence from Pakistan. Officials condemned the attack, enforcing emergency measures to manage the crisis.