PESHAWAR – Pakistani security forces claimed to have rescued 104 passengers and killed 16 militants in a Balochistan militant attack on the Peshawar bound Jaffar Express. However, the militant group, Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) countered the claim, stating that its fighters killed 30 soldiers and released several civilian families.
Security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity on 12 March, told that operations against Baloch militants in the Kachhi (Bolan) district continued for a second day. They confirmed that a train carrying the rescued passengers had reached Quetta.
BLA militants had attacked the train on 11 March while it was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar via Lahore. The group claimed responsibility for the Balochistan militant attack, stating that its fighters had taken 214 security and intelligence personnel hostage while releasing over 100 civilians, including women and children.
BLA has issued a statement on social media, giving the government 48 hours to release “political prisoners, resistance members, and forcibly disappeared individuals” unconditionally. The government has not responded to the demands. However, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti vowed to continue military operations until the province’s security stabilizes.
Eyewitness Accounts
Gunfire erupted as militants attacked the train. Passengers ducked for cover, fearing for their lives. Yusuf Bashir, a survivor, recalled the harrowing moments: “People screamed and cried. When the shooting started, we lay flat inside the train. Then the militants ordered us to get out and not look back.”
Officials confirmed that nearly 500 passengers had been on board the targeted train. The Pakistan Railways Department suspended all train services to Balochistan following the Balochistan militant attack. Ghulam Nabi, another survivor, shared his experience: “The train suddenly stopped. Then, we heard gunfire. Everyone kept their heads down in fear.”
Casualties Remain Unclear
Officials have not provided exact casualty figures, but hospitals in Quetta and Sibi have received 17 injured individuals. Medical teams continue treating them. Jaffar Express passengers, including Yusuf Bashir and his family, reached Quetta safely. Bashir told the media: “The militants ordered us off the train. They let us go and warned us not to turn back.”
BLA History of Violence
Before the current Balochistan militant attack, the banned BLA has previously attacked passenger trains and removed security personnel traveling on them. In November 2024, an explosion at a Quetta train station killed at least 24 people and injured 53. Security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan has worsened over the past three years.
The Islamabad-based Conflict and Security Research Institute reported 79 militant attacks in February alone, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. These attacks killed 55 civilians and 47 security personnel.The same institute reported that security forces killed 166 suspected militants in February as part of ongoing counterterrorism operations.
The latest Balochistan militant attack highlights the escalating security crisis in the province. As militant groups intensify their activities, Pakistan’s security forces continue their operations. However, the situation remains volatile, with both sides claiming victories.
