Pakistan security forces ended the dramatic 30-hour siege wherein over 300 passengers of the Jaffar Express train had been taken hostage by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militants. They killed 33 armed fighters and successfully rescued all the passengers, but around 21 people were killed in the operation.
According to Pakistani media reports, SSG commandos acted swiftly and bravely to save the lives of innocent hostages. The rescue effort, a collaboration between the army, air force, Frontier Corps and SSG personnel, was conducted in phases, with over 100 passengers being freed in the first phase and 80 more in the second phase.
Senior officials said a dozen passengers, including two railway policemen, escaped and made it safely back to Quetta. Jaffar Express, which was stranded near the Mashkaf Tunnel in the Bolan range, has now been cleared of terrorists.
Jaffar Express Train Hijack: Afghanistan Supports BLA, Attacks in Pakistan
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the public relations wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, said intelligence reports confirmed that the attack was orchestrated and directed by terrorist ring leaders operating from Afghanistan. It asserted that Afghan-based militant leaders remained in contact with the attackers through the siege using satellite phones.
Pakistan wants the Taliban-led Afghan government to uphold its responsibilities and deny the land from being used for terrorist activities against Islamabad. Lt Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of ISPR said the latest attack has changed the game’s rules. Without mincing his words, Chaudhry said the militants will be hunted down and brought to justice. He reiterated that Pakistan cannot be targeted as per the wimps of foreign paymasters.
Also Read: Pakistan Security Forces Kill 27 BLA Terrorists, Rescue 155 Passengers: Jaffar Express Train Hijack
Pakistan Suspends Train Services to Balochistan
After the hijacking incident, Pakistan Railways has suspended train services between Balochistan and other provinces. Earlier, train operations from Rajanpur in Punjab had been temporarily halted. Moreover, Pakistan has deployed additional security personnel in Bolan Valley for a comprehensive search operation.
Security has been tightened in Quetta and other areas of the remote region.
