Daily Times

The recent hijacking of the Jaffar Express train by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province has sent shockwaves through the nation and beyond.

On March 11, 2025, a train heading from Quetta to Peshawar, carrying over 400 passengers, including civilians and Pak-Army soldiers, was ambushed in the rugged Bolan Pass area, thrusting the long-standing Baloch insurgency into the global spotlight. This incident was not a random act of violence – it rather represents an unfinished region’s fight with terrorism. The siege ended with 21 civilians and four soldiers dead, leaving countless families shattered. It was perhaps a staunch reminder of the APS Peshawar attack, highlighting an intelligence failure.

The details of the hijacking are chilling. The BLA, a separatist group fighting for an independent Balochistan, bombed the railway tracks with explosives as the train entered a tunnel near Sibi city, about 160km (100 miles) from Quetta, forcing it to a halt. Armed with rockets, grenades, and guns, the militants stormed the carriages, separating soldiers from civilians and taking hundreds hostage. The Pakistan military’s response was swift. By Wednesday, March 12, they declared the operation complete, with all 33 attackers killed and the remaining passengers rescued.

Balochistan is not merely Pakistan’s problem; it is a regional chessboard.

Lt. General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General, described in a statement: “The rescue operation continued periodically, and in the final clearance operation in the evening, all remaining hostages were secured.” The personnel of Pak-Army, Air Force, Frontier Corps, snipers and special commandoes were deployed in the operation to rescue the passengers and end the siege. Since the terrorists were using travellers as human shields, DG ISPR added that “the operation was conducted with extreme precision and caution.”

As soon as the BLA claimed responsibility for the attack, they demanded negotiations to swap prisoners. The group also threatened on Tuesday to start executing hostages unless Baloch political prisoners, activists and missing persons it said had been abducted by the military were not released within 48 hours. Fighting against state officials is one thing, but threatening to kill civilian hostages tells a different story.

The BLA has previously been widely misrepresented as a group fighting for Baloch rights; however, in response to this incident, the comments by DG ISPR have further clarified Pakistan’s view about this terrorist group. While talking to media, Gen. Sharif stated that “These terrorists were in contact with their supporters and masterminds in Afghanistan during the operation,” adding that “this incident changes the rules of the game, because these terrorists have no link to Balochistan or religion.”

In Thursday’s visit to Quetta, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attributed Pakistan’s current security challenges to past policies of fostering ties with the Taliban, urging the nation to identify and confront “enemies disguised as friends.” He expressed profound grief over the recent Jaffar Express attack, condemning the terrorists for holding unarmed passengers as hostages and executing them in cold blood. Emphasizing the need for unity and decisive action against terrorism, he warned that Pakistan’s progress would come to a standstill if terrorism is not eradicated.

For the passengers caught in this nightmare, the experience was nothing short of apocalyptic. Muhammad Ashraf, one of the freed hostages, told the BBC, “It was a scene of doomsday.” Imagine being a parent holding your child or a soldier off-duty, suddenly staring down the barrel of a gun in a confined train carriage.

The BLA’s use of human shields – women and children among them – adds a layer of moral complexity that’s hard to stomach. In his Quetta meeting, PM Shehbaz also reaffirmed the unwavering nation’s resolve to continue the war against terrorism till the complete eradication of this menace. His words reflect a government determined to project strength, standing by its security forces against the terrorism conundrum.

This isn’t the BLA’s first rodeo. In November 2024, they bombed a train station in Quetta, killing 26 – an act that hinted at their growing audacity. But hijacking an entire train marks a tactical escalation that analysts fear could backfire. Syed Muhammad Ali, an Islamabad-based security expert, told PBS news, “After failing to damage the Pakistan Army within Balochistan, BLA has shifted its targets from military to unarmed civilians. This may give them instant public and media attention, but it will weaken their support base.” It is a grim irony: a group claiming to fight for its people’s rights risks alienating them by endangering their lives.

Since the early 2000s, the BLA has been a thorn in Islamabad’s side, targeting security forces and foreign projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Their grievances are not baseless – poverty and underdevelopment plague the region – but their methods raise tough questions. Is violence against civilians a justifiable means to an end? It clearly shows their intentions. The international response has been predictably sharp. The US Embassy, Chinese spokesperson, and Iranian Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the attack, showing firm support to Pakistan in combating terrorism. Their support signals a unified front against the BLA, but they also highlight the geopolitical stakes – Balochistan is not merely Pakistan’s problem; it is a regional chessboard.

The writer is an intern at the Center for Law and Security, TMUC and can be reached at muhtasimafridi166@gmail.com