Quetta, Pakistan – Pakistani security forces engaged in intense gunfire exchanges with separatist militants on Wednesday, as they attempted to free over 250 hostages aboard a hijacked train in the country’s restive southwest. The operation, ongoing in the rugged terrain of Balochistan province, has seen at least 30 militants killed, while over 190 of the 450 passengers have been rescued.
The hostage crisis began on Tuesday, when militants affiliated with the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the train as it entered a tunnel in the Bolan district of Balochistan. The attackers immobilized the train by blowing up the tracks and critically injuring the driver, according to security officials. The attack, which targeted the train’s nine coaches, is the first of its kind in Pakistan, signaling a dangerous escalation in the separatist insurgency.
Pakistani security forces, backed by helicopters, have been cautious in their approach due to the presence of militants wearing vests loaded with explosives, holding hostages in precarious conditions. Government spokesman Shahid Rind condemned the incident as an “act of terrorism,” emphasizing the sensitive nature of the situation.
Among the 450 passengers aboard the train, authorities confirmed that women and children were among those rescued, but several security personnel were reportedly killed during the conflict. Security officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, noted that the rescue operations were ongoing, with survivors being transported to hospitals in Mach district and the provincial capital, Quetta.
The BLA, a separatist group that has long waged an insurgency in Balochistan, claimed responsibility for the attack, suggesting that it was open to negotiating a prisoner swap in exchange for the hostages. However, there has been no indication of any response from the Pakistani government to the BLA’s demand.
The BLA has a history of targeting security forces and foreign nationals, particularly Chinese workers involved in infrastructure projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This attack marks an escalation in the group’s tactics, as it has previously carried out attacks on military personnel and civilian infrastructure, but never hijacked a train before.
The group’s spokesman, Jeeyand Baloch, issued a statement late Tuesday claiming that the hostages and some captured members of the Pakistani security forces were being guarded by suicide bombers. He warned that the lives of the hostages would remain in grave danger if the government failed to negotiate. Despite the gravity of the situation, no official response to the BLA’s demands has been forthcoming from Islamabad.
The hijacking occurred as the train was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar. In a region fraught with separatist insurgencies, Balochistan has long been a hotspot for demands of greater autonomy and a larger share of the region’s natural resources. The BLA has been at the forefront of these efforts, citing grievances over discrimination and exploitation by the central government in Islamabad.
In the past, Balochistan has seen numerous militant attacks, but the hijacking of a train is unprecedented. In November, a separatist suicide bombing at a train station in Quetta killed 26 people. Authorities estimate the BLA has approximately 3,000 fighters operating in the region, fueling concerns of further violence.
Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is Pakistan’s largest and least populated province. Despite its rich deposits of oil and minerals, it remains one of the most underdeveloped areas of the country, with ethnic Baloch communities often citing marginalization by the central government.
As the hostage crisis continues to unfold, the world watches closely, hoping for the safe release of the remaining hostages and an end to the escalating violence in Pakistan’s southwestern frontier. Full details are yet to be known.