QUETTA, Pakistan — Pakistan’s Prime Minister traveled to the restive southwestern province of Balochistan on Thursday to visit the survivors of a recent train attack and commend the military commandos who successfully rescued over 300 passengers from insurgents. The insurgents, part of the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, had attacked and killed 21 civilians along with four troops.
The group claimed responsibility for the aggressive assault that began on Tuesday, eventually concluding on Wednesday when military forces eliminated all 33 insurgents involved. The operation resulted in no further fatalities among the passengers. The train, known as the Jafer Express, was en route from Balochistan’s capital, Quetta, to the northern city of Peshawar when insurgents sabotaged the railway track, interrupting its journey and causing nine coaches and the engine to become trapped partially inside a tunnel.
The Baloch Liberation Army regularly targets Pakistani security forces and has previously attacked trains, though this incident marks the first successful hijacking attempt. The group has also targeted foreign workers, notably thousands of Chinese nationals involved in extensive infrastructure projects worth billions in Balochistan.
Balochistan, rich in oil and minerals, is Pakistan’s largest yet least densely populated province. Members of the Baloch ethnic minority allege persistent discrimination and exploitation by the nation’s central government.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif scheduled a visit to Quetta on Thursday. According to authorities, arrangements were made to ensure the deceased victims were returned to their hometowns, while the injured were provided with necessary medical care.
In a statement issued overnight, the military revealed having “confirmed intelligence” that the assault was “orchestrated and directed by terrorist ring leaders operating from Afghanistan,” who maintained direct communication with the operatives during the incident.
Pakistan often accuses Afghanistan of harboring the Pakistani Taliban and BLA factions, a claim consistently denied by Kabul. Nonetheless, the military urged the Afghan Taliban government to fulfill its obligations by preventing its territory from being used for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
Following the destruction of the railway track, the insurgents commandeered the train, taking the passengers hostage, including women, children, and the elderly, whom they used as human shields. Survivors recounted how the perpetrators fired upon the train’s windows, boarded the coaches, and proceeded to kill or injure passengers before holding them captive.
Tragically, three soldiers who were tasked with guarding the railway track lost their lives during the incident, as confirmed by military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif.
