The driver of the Jaffar Express, Amjad, recounted a terrifying encounter with militants. He explained that the attackers first detonated an explosive under the train’s engine. This explosion caused several bogies to derail. As soon as the train halted, terrorists from the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched an immediate assault on the passengers.
One rescued passenger also described the chaos after the blast. He explained that the attackers took hostages and held them at gunpoint. Fortunately, military commandos quickly stepped in, risking their lives to rescue them. The courage shown by the military helped the hostages remain hopeful during this frightening ordeal.
This horrifying incident started on Tuesday when separatist militants ambushed the Jaffar Express. The train was traveling from Quetta to Peshawar when militants blew up the railway track and began firing rockets. Security forces responded swiftly. They stormed the hijacked train on Wednesday after a tense 30-hour standoff in Balochistan’s rugged Bolan area.
During the rescue operation, security forces eliminated all 33 terrorists and rescued over 300 passengers. Unfortunately, 21 hostages lost their lives during the standoff. However, military spokesperson Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that no civilians were harmed in the final rescue. He praised the careful planning of the operation, in which the Army, Air Force, and Frontier Corps worked together. Special Service Group (SSG) personnel also joined the effort, ensuring a successful outcome.