Daijiworld Media Network - Quetta

Quetta, Mar 14: The driver of the ill-fated Jaffar Express, hijacked by Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) militants, has recounted the horror as survivors lauded the military’s swift action in ending the deadly standoff.

The attack unfolded on Tuesday, March 11, when the Quetta-Peshawar-bound train, carrying 440 passengers, came under siege. Militants detonated an explosive under the engine, causing derailment, before launching a gun attack. The chaos left 21 civilians and four soldiers dead.

“The train stopped after the blast, and within moments, we were under attack,” driver Amjad recalled. One of the rescued passengers described the terrifying ordeal, saying, “They held us at gunpoint, but the commandos risked their own lives to save us.”

In a high-stakes operation, security forces stormed the train on Wednesday, March 12, bringing the 30-hour hostage crisis to a dramatic end in the rugged Bolan region. All 33 terrorists were neutralized, and over 300 passengers were rescued.

Military spokesperson Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed the casualties but assured that no civilians were harmed during the final rescue mission. The attack, unprecedented in Balochistan’s insurgency, marks the first hijacking of a passenger train by militants. Authorities remain on high alert as insurgent activity escalates in the region.