Pakistan train hijack: Militants threaten to 'execute' hostages; over 400 onboard

1. Pakistan train hijack: Militants threaten to 'execute' hostages; over 400 onboard

Pakistan train hijack: Militants threaten to 'execute' hostages; over 400 onboard ByHT News Desk Mar 11, 2025 07:14 PM IST Share Via Copy Link While the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed that it has killed six security personnel, there was no independent confirmation of their claim.

The Baloch Liberation Army, a militant group, has taken responsibility for the attack on a train carrying over 400 people in southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday and threatened to kill the hostages if their demands were not met, reports Reuters.

Pakistan's interior minister has condemned the attack and said the government would not make any concessions.(File/Image for representation)

The group has "warned of severe consequences" if any attempt is made to rescue the hostages, according to AFP. Follow LIVE updates.

The Jaffar Express, with around 450 passengers on board in nine bogies, was on its way from Quetta in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when militants fired upon it.

Also Read | Pakistan train hijack: What is the Balochistan Liberation Army?

"Over 450 passengers onboard are being held hostage by gunmen," Muhammad Kashif, a senior railway government official in Quetta, the capital of the province, told AFP. “Passengers include women and children.”

While the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed that it seized control of the train by derailing it and killed six security personnel, there was no independent confirmation of their claim, reported PTI.

Rescue teams and security forces have reached the scene, and an operation is underway to track down the assailants. Emergency has been declared in the local hospitals.

Pakistan's interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, condemned the attack and said the government would not make any concessions to "beasts who fire on innocent passengers".

According to PTI, insurgents opened fire at a passenger train, wounding the driver and prompting security guards aboard the train to fire back.

Controller Railways Muhammad Kashif said the train had nine coaches and was stopped by armed men.

“The train was stopped by armed men in Tunnel No 8. Efforts are being made to contact the passengers and staff,” the controller said, according to PTI.

Security forces have been dispatched to the area, and an investigation into the attack is underway.

Balochistan, a resource-rich but conflict-ridden province, has witnessed a longstanding insurgency by separatist groups demanding independence or greater autonomy. The region has seen repeated attacks on security forces, infrastructure, and civilians in recent years.

The BLA seeks independence for Balochistan. It is the biggest of several ethnic insurgent groups that have battled the South Asian nation's government for decades, saying it unfairly exploits Balochistan's rich gas and mineral resources.