The Pakistan Army has successfully completed its clearance operation following the hijacking of the Jaffar Express train in Balochistan. All 33 terrorists involved in the attack have been killed, according to a report by Dawn, citing the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
Details of the Hijacking
The attack, which took place on March 11 in Bolan, involved the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a banned separatist group. The terrorists blew up a railroad track around 1 pm and hijacked the train, which was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar. The train, which had approximately 440 passengers, was forced to stop, and the BLA claimed responsibility for the incident.
Lt General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the ISPR Director General, stated in an interview that the area where the attack occurred was difficult to access due to its remote location, far from road networks and civilization. He confirmed that personnel from the army, air force, Frontier Corps, and Special Services Group (SSG) participated in the operation to recover the hostages.
Hostages Rescued and Terrorists Neutralized
The terrorists used hostages, including women and children, as human shields during the standoff. The military initiated the recovery operation immediately, and over 100 passengers were rescued by the evening of March 11. The operation continued on March 12, with a significant number of passengers safely freed.
In the final stages of the operation, all hostages were recovered, and 33 terrorists were killed. General Chaudhry confirmed the death of 21 passengers during the attack and stated that the bomb disposal squad was conducting further checks on the train and surrounding area. He emphasized that no passengers were harmed during the final clearance operation.
Casualties and Military Losses
The operation also resulted in the deaths of three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel deployed at the railway picket. Additionally, one FC soldier was killed during the initial operation on March 11. The ISPR chief mentioned that the terrorists had been in contact with their supporters in Afghanistan via satellite phones during the operation.
Military’s Commitment to Justice
General Chaudhry vowed that those responsible for the attack would be hunted down and brought to justice, declaring that this attack would “change the rules of the game.” He also shared drone footage of the incident, showing the groups of hostages and suicide bombers among the passengers, explaining the slow and careful progress of the military operation.
The operation, while challenging, ultimately led to the rescue of the passengers and the elimination of the terrorist threat. Authorities continue to gather any fleeing passengers who escaped during the operation. General Chaudhry concluded by stating, “No one can be permitted to make innocent people of Pakistan the victim of their barbarism.”