2025 Jaffar Express hijacking

Last updated

2025 Jaffar Express hijacking
Part of the insurgency in Balochistan
Pakistan Railways ZCU-20 Locomotive.jpg
Similar Jaffar Express train pictured in 2021
Location Bolan Pass, Sibi, Balochistan, Pakistan
Coordinates 29°38′53″N67°35′3″E / 29.64806°N 67.58417°E / 29.64806; 67.58417
Date11 March 2025 (2025-03-11)
c.1:15 PM (PST)
TargetCivilians, security personnel
Attack type
Hijacking, hostage-taking, mass shooting, bombings, shootout, ambush
Weapons Explosives, rocket launchers, automatic firearms, suicide vests
Deaths71 (including 33 attackers) [1]
Injured37 [2] [3]
Victims440 [4] –500 [5] hostages [6]
PerpetratorBalochistan flag.svg Balochistan Liberation Army
No. of participants
33 [1] [7] [a]

On 11 March, 2025, the Jaffar Express , a Pakistani passenger train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar with about 440 people on board was hijacked by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The attackers reportedly detonated explosives in tunnels and on the train tracks before opening fire on the train. According to officials, at least 71 people, including 8 soldiers and all 33 attackers, were killed in the attack, and 37 others were injured. The organization issued a 48-hour ultimatum in which Baloch political prisoners had to be released or else the hostages were to be killed, although they had released some of them. As a result, Pakistan Railways temporarily suspended its train operations between Balochistan and the provinces of Punjab and Sindh. [9] [5] [10] [11]

Contents

From 11 to 12 March, Pakistani military forces made multiple raids on the hijacked train, eventually releasing 346 hostages and killing all 33 BLA insurgents. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack as "cowardly acts", sent condolences to the victims' families and, after the resolution of the crisis, said that the BLA members had been "sent to hell". The attack on civilians by BLA was universally condemned by various global figures, who voiced their support towards Pakistan against terrorism. Following the attack, Pakistan Railways implemented plans to increase patrol forces in the country's various railway systems and more thoroughly inspect passengers and transport vehicles to prevent similar attacks.

Background

The province of Balochistan has been involved in insurgencies and conflicts by Baloch separatists against the government of Pakistan since at least 1948. [12] [13] This is due to the forced disappearances and violations of the rights of Baloch people by the Pakistan army, and the extreme poverty and under-developed infrastructure of Balochistan. Since 2001, armed groups in the region have conducted various violent attacks and campaigns to discourage major development in the region that they believe would benefit other provinces. [14]

The Balochistan Liberation Army is a Baloch ethnonationalist group founded in 2000. [15] Members of the organization stated that their intentions were to achieve regional independence from Pakistan and control over the land's natural resources, primarily its oil and minerals. The faction had previously launched attacks on civilians and, most often, Pakistani security forces. [16] BLA also targets Chinese nationals within the region, as they had been involved in economic infrastructure networking as part of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. [17] It has officially been banned in Pakistan since 2006. [18] Pakistan had previously accused India and Afghanistan of backing anti-Pakistani militants, which both BLA and the respective countries have denied. [17] Since then, BLA has launched multiple terrorist attacks that resulted in the deaths of many people; the most recent attack prior to the 2025 train hijacking was a November 2024 suicide bomber attack at Quetta railway station that killed 32. [4]

Hijacking

At 9 a.m. on 11 March 2025, the Jaffar Express passenger train departed Quetta en route for Peshawar, a journey of around 1,600 kilometres (990 mi). [19] Around 450 passengers were reported to have been on board including military personnel. [20] Prior to the attack, the BLA insurgents sabotaged the train tracks so that the train would stop within the mountainous area. [21] Some 157 kilometres (98 mi) from Quetta and about 21 kilometres (13 mi) west of the city of Sibi, the BLA hijacked the train inside Tunnel No. 8, between Pehro Kunri and Mushkaf stations. [10] [22] [23] The group blew up explosives on the train tracks before opening fire on the train. [24]

Only a handful of police and Frontier Corps personnel escorted the train, with one police officer reporting "hundreds" of militants surrounding the tracks. [8] The defenders fought and engaged with the attackers, giving resistance for over an hour and an half until they were depleted of ammunition which resulted in the defenders eventually being defenceless. [8] The BLA insurgents were equipped with launchers and guns and threatened to kill people if they did not come out of the train. [25]

During the attack, militants with suicide vests boarded the train and separated women and men into groups and checked their identification cards. The attackers did not harm elderly people or women. [26] They generally rounded hostages up by ethnicity but also executed soldiers or people they did not like on the spot. [25] Because the hijacking occurred in an isolated mountainous area, the fate of the hostages was not immediately clear. According to Shahid Rind, the Balochistan provincial government spokesman, the surrounding terrain prevented authorities from quickly reaching the area. [27] Pakistan Railways temporarily suspended its train operations between Balochistan and Punjab and Sindh in response to the attack. [28]

The BLA claimed responsibility for the attack, claiming that more than 50 personnel from law enforcement agencies (LEAs), including Pakistan Army soldiers who were reportedly going home on leave, were killed along with 50 hostages. [2] The hostages were reported to be mostly LEA personnel and non-Baloch civilians. [29] [30] The militants kept a close watch on the train's security personnel and warned authorities against attempting to rescue the hostages themselves. [31] Some of the insurgents were equipped with suicide bombs and sat next to the hostages to further prevent an easy rescue by authorities. [32] The BLA spokesman Jeeyand Baloch offered exchanges between the train hostages and jailed militants. [16] The BLA released some civilian hostages such as Balochistan residents, the elderly, women, and children while keeping those who are government workers or military personal on leave to return to their homes in Punjab for Ramadan. [33] [34] [31] The same day that the hijacking occurred, BLA issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Pakistani government in which political prisoners, including Baloch movement affiliates, were to be unconditionally released. [35] The next day, it threatened to "punish" five hostages for each hour after the ultimatum had expired. [36] Pakistani officials said they then were yet to communicate with anyone on the train as the area has no internet and mobile network coverage. [37]

Pakistani security forces launched a large-scale counter-operation at the site. [22] [38] [39] In their first attacks, they killed 27 insurgents and rescued 104 passengers: 58 men, 31 women, and 15 children. [40] [41] The security forces later engaged in another gunfight that resulted in them freeing another 155 hostages. [42] [43] Lasting for over 30 hours, [44] the hostage crisis concluded on 12 March 2025 with 346 total hostages being rescued according to Pakistan's military. [4] Pakistani officials accused the BLA of using women and children as human shields, which the insurgent group denied. [36] Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his ministers visited Balochistan in response to review the situation and express solidarity with its victims. [45] According to a witness, he and other hostages did not have any food and had to drink water from the train's restroom; the Pakistani army provided the rescued hostages food and water. [25] Following the hijack, Pakistan Railways increased security patrols in all railway stations across the country, restricted passenger access to trains through strict examinations, and subjected transport vehicles to more rigorous inspections. It further recognized the understaffed railway police force and implemented a plan to hire more personnel in subsequent months. [46]

Victims

Officials confirmed that 30 passengers, all 33 militants and eight soldiers were killed in the attack. [1] [7] [47] Pakistani human rights activist Mama Qadeer reported that over 30 security personnel were killed during the attack. [48] Seventeen passengers and three security personnel were injured. [48] [49] [3] Despite initial reports that the train driver died in the attack, a video revealed that he survived and was in good health. [50]

Reactions

Pakistan

Pakistan's leaders voiced strong opposition towards the hijack of the Jaffar Express, with President Asif Ali Zardari praising his country's security forces for rescuing the passengers from the BLA. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed hope that the security forces could eliminate the "coward terrorists", who he considered enemies of Balochistan's progress. [51] In a post on X, Sharif said that he spoke to Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti regarding the hijacking, and condemned the incident as "cowardly acts" that did not subvert his nation's goals for "resolve for peace" in a speech the day after the attack. He also expressed condolences for the "families of the martyrs", wished survivors swift recoveries, and stated that the insurgents "have been sent to hell". [52] Multiple other prominent Pakistani politicians, namely Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Sindh Home Minister Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar, Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, and the National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq all also condemned the attack directly. [51] Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi argued that the BLA's train attack was coordinated and part of a foreign conspiracy. He confirmed the rescue of all passengers from the attack but declined to give further details about the process other than that a rescue train had arrived to assist them. [53] Pakistan Army lieutenant general Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the BLA militants were facilitated under the directions of cooperators and a lead mastermind, who contacted them from Afghanistan via a satellite phone. He condemned harm towards civilians and stated that whoever was responsible for the incident will be hunted down and brought to justice, that the attack "changes the rules of the game". [45] The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs backed up his accusation that facilitators from Afghanistan helped to organize the attack and also blamed India for being behind the attack. [54]

Punjab governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan also condemned the attack, considering the insurgents to be inhuman for targeting civilians and wishing for the speedy recovery of injured victims. [55] Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party leader Asad Qaiser voiced concern over the attack but also claimed that Balochistan's flawed government policies allowed for it to occur. [56] Pakistan People's Party leader and digital media head Umar Rehman Malik strongly condemned the attack emphasizing that such cowardly acts will never break Pakistan's spirit or weaken the nation's unwavering resolve against terrorism. Malik gave his condolences to the victims and their families and commended the efforts and swift response of the security forces. In a statement, Malik said "Our prayers are with the victims and their families, and we hope for the safe rescue of all hostages and the swift recovery of the injured. The perpetrators of this heinous attack must be brought to justice. Pakistan will never bow to terror, Inshallah." [57] On X, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said it was "gravely concerned" by the attack and advocated for "urgent rights-based, pro-people consensus on the issues faced by citizens in Balochistan and to find a peaceful, political solution". [31] Following the conflict, the BLA rejected the Pakistani military's claim to the hijack conflict having ended, arguing that battles were still continuing and that Pakistani forces were suffering heavy casualties. [58]

On 13 March, governmental parties threw accusations at each other during a National Assembly conference. Khawaja Asif, the Minister of Defence and a member of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) party, disapproved of PTI for discrediting the military's operation against the BLA. Asad Qaiser of PTI responded by blaming the conflict on the failures of intelligence agencies and Sharif's regime. The involved parties unanimously passed a resolution condemning the hijacking incident of the Jaffar Express and commending the Pakistani military and law enforcement agencies for their actions. [59] [60]

International

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ However, a police officer who was a hostage in the train reported "hundreds". [8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Thapa, Vaidika (13 March 2025). "Pakistan Train Attack: Jaffar Express Rescue Operation Ends, 33 Terrorists Killed And 30 Civilians Dead". News24 . Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  2. 1 2 Yusufzai, Mushtaq; Jett, Jennifer; Aggarwal, Mithil (12 March 2025). "Pakistan rescues remaining hostages after separatist militants kill 100 people in train hijack". NBC News. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  3. 1 2 "President condemns terrorist attack on Jaffar Express in Balochistan". ARY News. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "Pakistan says more than 300 hostages rescued from hijacked train". Al Jazeera. 12 March 2025. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Pakistan Train Hijack Update: BLA Militants Release Civilians, Keep 214 Military Personnel Hostage Aboard Jaffar Express; 30 Soldiers Killed". English Jagran. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  6. ↑ Saleem Shahid; Syed Irfan Raza (13 March 2025). "Balochistan standoff ends after all Jaffar Express hostages rescued". Dawn. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Pakistan Train Attack LIVE Updates: Pakistan army says train hijack operation over, 33 militants and 21 hostages killed". Indian Express. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 "'We fought until our bullets ran out'". The Express Tribune. 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  9. ↑ Ahmed, Saleem; Sayeed, Saad (13 March 2025). "Pakistan military ends train standoff, says 21 hostages and four troops killed". Reuters . Quetta . Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  10. 1 2 Moshiri, Azadeh; Perera, Ayeshea (11 March 2025). "Pakistan militants attack train carrying hundreds of passengers". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  11. ↑ "Baloch separatists attack train in Pak, warn passengers will be executed if..." India Today. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  12. ↑ Akhtar, Aasim Sajjad (2007). "Balochistan versus Pakistan". Economic and Political Weekly. 42 (45/46): 73–79. ISSN   0012-9976. JSTOR   40276835. Archived from the original on 26 April 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  13. ↑ Kirmani, Nida (2024). "Resisting erasure: tweeting against enforced disappearances in Balochistan". Dialectical Anthropology. 48 (1): 21–37. doi:10.1007/s10624-024-09713-3. ISSN   0304-4092.
  14. ↑ "Baloch separatists attack traders". BBC News. 27 July 2009. Archived from the original on 17 May 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  15. ↑ "Balochistan Liberation Army". Mapping Militants. Archived from the original on 7 December 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  16. 1 2 Sattar, Abdul; Ahmed, Munir (12 March 2025). "Pakistan's army says insurgents who attacked a passenger train killed 21 hostages while others freed". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  17. 1 2 "Who are the Pakistani Baloch separatist militants behind train hijacking?". Reuters. 11 March 2025. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  18. ↑ "List of banned organisations in Pakistan". The Express Tribune. 24 October 2012. Archived from the original on 5 April 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  19. ↑ Hussain, Abid (11 March 2025). "Deadly Pakistan train hijack: What happened, and what's next?". Al Jazeera English. Archived from the original on 11 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  20. ↑ "Pakistan continues operation to free 250 hostages from hijacked train". Reuters. 12 March 2025. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  21. ↑ "Packed passenger train in Pakistan attacked by Baloch separatists, possibly hijacked in bloody assault". CBS News. 11 March 2025. Archived from the original on 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  22. 1 2 Hussain, Abid. "Gunmen hijack train in Pakistan's Balochistan, take hundreds hostage". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  23. ↑ "Rescue operation for hostages underway after terrorists attack train in Balochistan: state media". Dawn. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  24. ↑ Yusufzai, Mushtaq; Jett, Jennifer; Aggarwal, Mithil (12 March 2025). "Pakistan rescues remaining hostages after separatist militants kill 100 people in train hijack". NBC News. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  25. 1 2 3 Saifi, Sophia; Khan, Asim; Mehsud, Saleem; Mogul, Rhea (13 March 2025). "'Things took a darker turn': Survivors recall horror of deadly Pakistan train siege". CNN. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  26. ↑ "Survivors recall horrific Jaffar Express attack". ARY News. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  27. ↑ ur-Rehman, Zia (11 March 2025). "Separatists Hijack Train Carrying Over 400 Passengers in Pakistan". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  28. ↑ Hasnain, Khalid (12 March 2025). "All trains to and from Balochistan suspended". Dawn. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  29. ↑ "Pakistan train hijack: BLA claims it killed 20 soldiers, took 182 hostages". Hindustan Times. 11 March 2025.
  30. ↑ Ahmed, Saleem (11 March 2025). "Pakistan separatists say they have taken 182 hostages in train attack". Reuters. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  31. 1 2 3 Jonko, Anushree (12 March 2025). "'Held Breath Through Firing': Passengers Describe Pakistan Train Hijack Scenes". NDTV World. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  32. ↑ Ahmed, Saleem; Shahzad, Asif (12 March 2025). "Pakistan train hijack: Suicide bombers complicate rescue operation, sources say". Reuters. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  33. ↑ "Pakistan Train Hijack: BLA Releases 104 Hostages After Attack On Jaffar Express". News Today. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  34. ↑ "Pakistan Train Hijack Update: BLA Militants Release Civilians, Keep 182 Hostage Aboard Jaffar Express; 20 Soldiers Killed". English Jagran. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  35. ↑ Akhter, Saadullah (12 March 2025). "'A rain of rockets and bullets': Survivors of Pakistan's train hijacking". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  36. 1 2 Khan, Haq Nawaz; Noack, Rick; Hussain, Shaiq (12 March 2025). "Pakistan's security crisis deepens as militants hijack train, take hostages". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  37. ↑ "Pakistan: More than 100 passengers freed from militant train attack". BBC. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  38. ↑ "Pakistan train hijack: Militants threaten to 'execute' hostages; over 400 onboard". Hindustan Times. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  39. ↑ Khan, Asim; Mehsud, Saleem; Saifi, Sophia (11 March 2025). "Pakistan: Militants hijack passenger train, take hostages, officials say". CNN. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  40. ↑ "WATCH: Security Forces Rescue 104 Passengers from Hijacked Jaffar Express; Operation Ongoing". Markhor Times. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  41. ↑ "104 rescued, 22 terrorists killed as operation underway to secure all Jaffar Express train passengers". Pakistan Today. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  42. ↑ "Screaming, firing, blast: Survivor recounts Pakistan train hijack". India Today. 12 March 2025.
  43. ↑ "Security forces race to rescue Jaffar Express hostages in Balochistan". Dawn. 12 March 2025.
  44. ↑ Butler, Gavin (13 March 2025). "'Killed in front of our eyes': How the Pakistan train hijacking unfolded". BBC. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  45. 1 2 "Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif visits Balochistan after train hijack". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  46. ↑ "Railway security tightened across Pakistan". The Express Tribune. 13 March 2025. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  47. ↑ "Jaffar Express attack in Balochistan: 16 terrorists killed, 104 passengers rescued as operation continues". Aaj News. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  48. 1 2 "Pakistan Train Hijack LIVE: 30 Security Personnel Killed, 214 Still In Captivity; BLA Demands Release Of Baloch Activists". News18. 11 March 2025. Archived from the original on 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
  49. ↑ "Pakistan Train Hijack LIVE Updates: '27 terrorists killed, 155 hostages freed,' says Pakistan on BLA train hijack". The Times of India . 11 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  50. ↑ "Jaffer Express driver returns safe". The Express Tribune. 13 March 2025. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  51. 1 2 "Leaders condemn assault on train passengers". The Express Tribune. 12 March 2025. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  52. ↑ "'Such acts won't shake Pakistan's resolve for peace': PM Shehbaz Sharif first reaction to train hijack by". Times of India. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  53. ↑ "Railways Minister terms Jaffar Express attack a conspiracy". 24 Digital. 12 March 2025. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  54. ↑ "Pakistan's Foreign Office Accuses India Of Being Behind Balochistan Train Hijack". ABP News. 13 March 2025. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  55. ↑ "Governor condemns train attack". The News International. 13 March 2025. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  56. ↑ "Asad Qaiser expresses concerns over law and order situation in Balochistan and KP". 24 Digital. 12 March 2025. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  57. ↑ "PPP condemns barbaric attack on Jaffar Express". Business Recorder. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  58. ↑ Kumar, Subodh (13 March 2025). "Pakistan hiding defeat: Baloch insurgents reject Army's Jaffar Express op claim". India Today. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  59. ↑ "NA unanimously passes resolution condemning Jaffar Express hijacking". The News International. 13 March 2025. Archived from the original on 14 March 2025. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
  60. ↑ Butt, Naveed; Ahmad, Zulfiqar (14 March 2025). "NA: Heated exchange over train hijacking". Business Recorder. Archived from the original on 14 March 2025. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
  61. ↑ "Passengers describe 'doomsday scenes' on hijacked train". BBC. 12 March 2025.
  62. ↑ Nagari, Akhilesh (13 March 2025). "Taliban reject Pak's claim of Afghanistan link to train hijack". India Today. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  63. ↑ "Australia Condemns Jaffar Express Attack, Stands with Pakistan". Daily Islamabad Post. 13 March 2025. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  64. ↑ Mammadov, Ingilab (12 March 2025). "Azerbaijani MFA expresses condolences to Pakistan". Trend News Agency. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  65. 1 2 3 Gokmen, Berk Kutay (12 March 2025). "World condemns deadly Pakistan train hijacking". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  66. 1 2 3 4 5 "Worldwide condemnation on Jaffar Express incident keeps pouring in". 24 Digital. 12 March 2025. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  67. ↑ Banerjee, Aveek (12 March 2025). "Pakistan Train Hijack: Army Confirms End Of Operation Against Baloch Militants After Daylong Standoff". News18. Archived from the original on 12 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  68. ↑ "Türkiye condemns terror attack on passenger train in Pakistan". Türkiye Today. 12 March 2025. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  69. ↑ "UAE condemns attack on train in Pakistan". Dubai Eye 103.8. 13 March 2025. Archived from the original on 13 March 2025. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.