Balochistan Train Hijack: A Detailed Report on the Jaffar Express Attack

Overview of the Incident

On March 12, 2025, a passenger train, Jaffar Express, traveling from Quetta to Peshawar was hijacked by Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) insurgents in Balochistan, Pakistan. The attack took place in a mountainous region near Gudalar and Piru Kunri in the Bolan district. The militants bombed a section of the railway track, stopping the train before storming it.

Casualties and Hostages

The attack resulted in at least 21 passenger deaths, along with 4 Pakistani soldiers. In response, Pakistani security forces launched a counter-operation, during which all 33 BLA militants involved in the hijack were reportedly killed (Pakistan train hijack Highlights: Pak train siege ends, Army says all Baloch insurgents killed, 21 passengers dead - India Today) (Pakistan Train Hijack LIVE Updates: All 33 BLA militants, 21 passengers, 4 soldiers killed, says Army - The Times of India).

Initially, around 450 passengers were trapped, and over 100 hostages were taken by the BLA. The insurgents separated non-Baloch passengers from the locals before executing multiple individuals, including Pakistani military personnel in retaliation for a prior drone strike (Pakistan train hijack Highlights: Pak train siege ends, Army says all Baloch insurgents killed, 21 passengers dead - India Today).

Pakistan Army's Response

A full-scale military operation was launched to free the hostages. The rescue mission was complicated as suicide bombers were present among the militants, and the insurgents used women and children as human shields. Despite these challenges, security forces managed to rescue 155 hostages while neutralizing 27 militants (Pakistan Train Hijack LIVE Updates: All 33 BLA militants, 21 passengers, 4 soldiers killed, says Army - The Times of India).

BLA’s Motivations and Response

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist group fighting for Baloch independence, claimed responsibility for the attack. They stated that the hijacking was a response to Pakistan's military operations in Balochistan, particularly an alleged drone strike by Pakistani forces (Pakistan train hijack Highlights: Pak train siege ends, Army says all Baloch insurgents killed, 21 passengers dead - India Today).

The BLA warned Pakistan of further attacks if their demands were ignored. They also accused the government of exploiting Balochistan’s resources while oppressing the local population (Balochistan train attack: Six killed, over 100 held hostage by armed militants, Balochistan, Pakistan train attack, hostages, Baloch Liberation Army, BLA, Jaffar Express).

International Reactions

• Pakistan’s government, including former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, condemned the attack and vowed that such acts would not destabilize the country (Pakistan train hijack Highlights: Pak train siege ends, Army says all Baloch insurgents killed, 21 passengers dead - India Today).
• China, Pakistan's key ally, strongly condemned the attack and offered to increase counter-terrorism cooperation with Islamabad (Pakistan train hijack Highlights: Pak train siege ends, Army says all Baloch insurgents killed, 21 passengers dead - India Today).
• International security experts linked the attack to Baloch separatist movements that have been ongoing since 1947, emphasizing concerns over human rights violations and forced disappearances in Balochistan (Pakistan Train Hijack LIVE Updates: All 33 BLA militants, 21 passengers, 4 soldiers killed, says Army - The Times of India).

Conclusion

The Jaffar Express train hijack was one of the deadliest attacks in recent years, highlighting the ongoing insurgency in Balochistan. While Pakistan’s security forces successfully ended the siege, the incident underscores the worsening security situation in the region. It also brings renewed attention to the Baloch nationalist movement and its long-standing grievances against the Pakistani state.

With hostility increasing in the region and terror attacks quadrupling over the past five years, Balochistan remains a volatile province that could witness more deadly escalations in the future (Pakistan train hijack Highlights: Pak train siege ends, Army says all Baloch insurgents killed, 21 passengers dead - India Today).