Islamabad: More than 340 train passengers taken hostage by a militant group were freed on March 12 by security forces after a 30-hour siege, an army official told AFP, confirming that militants shot 27 off-duty soldiers.
"346 hostages were freed and over 30 terrorists were killed during the operation," an army official told AFP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The 27 slain soldiers had been travelling on the train as passengers, the army official said. Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif told Dunya News TV that security forces killed all 33 militants present at the scene.
The Jaffar Express, carrying around 500 passengers in nine coaches, was targeted on March 11 with explosives, derailed, and hijacked by the BLA (Baloch Liberation Army) in mountainous terrain, about 160 km from Quetta, while the train was en route to Peshawar. The BLA rebels had been demanding the release of Baloch prisoners in exchange for the hostages, whom they claimed were members of Pakistan's security forces, police, and spy agency ISI.
A multi-pronged assault, including an aerial offensive, was launched against the insurgents following the train attack. The Pakistani security forces took time to complete the operation because the rebels were using the hostages as human shields, Lt Gen Sharif said.
Such acts won't shake Pak’s resolve for peace: PMPakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif responded for the first time to the Jaffar Express hijack incident, condemning it as a "cowardly act" and affirming that such actions would not shake the country's "resolve for peace". He said the entire nation is saddened by the loss of innocent lives. "Spoke with (Balochistan) Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti who briefed me on the latest developments in the heinous terrorist attack on Jaffar Express. The entire nation is deeply shocked by this dastardly act and saddened by the loss of innocent lives--such cowardly acts will not shake Pakistan's resolve for peace," PM Sharif said in a post on X. "I offer my heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyrs. May Allah grant them the highest ranks in Jannah and bless those injured with a swift recovery. Dozens of the terrorists have been sent to hell," he added. |
