It was the 11th of March 2025 morning, and Saad Qamar, 31-year-old assistant train driver, donned his uniform and left his house in Quetta, Pakistan, to start his ride aboard the Jaffar Express. The train, destined for Peshawar, was carrying over 400 passengers over the treacherous Balochistan terrain. This routine journey, however, took a perilous turn as it became the target of a 28-hour hijack crisis by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
The Bolan Ambush
While the Jaffar Express passed through the Bolan mountain region, a huge explosion under the engine derailed the train at approximately 12:55 PM. The explosion halted the train, and before the crew could react, the carriages were overrun by armed militants. The attack was attributed to the BLA, an autonomous separatist militant group, as a dramatic escalation of their guerrilla campaign in the region. (theguardian.com)
A Siege Unfolds
The militants, having crippled the train by destroying part of the tracks, took over control of the wagons and kidnapped the passengers as hostages. It was reported that the BLA had arrested around 214 men, including suspected military and police personnel, demanding death in the event of refusal to meet their demands. The key demand set by the group was releasing their imprisoned comrades, a sign of their resumed activities in the recent days. (theguardian.com)
The Response and Rescue Operation
Pakistan's military, acting in a unified attack, repelled the hijacking with army, air force, and paramilitary forces. The rescue mission of the passengers was complex since the militants had taken the passengers as human shields and the landscape of the Bolan Pass was rough. Through a fierce fighting, the security forces killed 33 militants and released over 300 passengers. Regrettably, the rescue mission also killed 21 hostages and four paramilitary soldiers. (arabnews.pk)
Personal Accounts In The Midst Of The Mayhem
Witnesses told of the terror of the attack. Railway employee Muhammad Abid told of the explosion and ensuing gunfire that encouraged passengers to take cover wherever they could. Another passenger, Muhammad Ashraf, described how militants pushed them off the train and made them march for hours against their will. (arabnews.pk)
Context Of The Insurgency
BLA's operations are a result of historic grievances about the allocation of resources and political control in Balochistan. The province has been a source of separatist operations, with groups like the BLA accusing the central government of exploiting the region's resources without commensurate benefits for the Baloch. This attack serves to point to the insecure security environment in the region and the challenge it poses to the authorities in curbing separatist insurgencies. (theguardian.com)
Aftermath and Current Concerns
In the weeks after the hijacking, security experts noted a rise in militant activities during the holy month of Ramadan, which saw the highest rate in a decade. The BLA's improved capabilities, as seen in the train hijacking, have sent alarm signals regarding the changing security dynamics in Pakistan. (apnews.com)
Additionally, human rights organizations were shocked by the arrest of Mahrang Baloch, one of the key activists of the Baloch minority. Her detention, coupled with the government's intensified crackdown since the hijacking, has challenged civil liberties as well as how the state addresses dissent. (time.com)
Reflection and Resilience
For others like Saad Qamar, the 11th of March brought a sober reminder of the risk that can come with ordinary duty in war areas. His returning to duty speaks volumes about toughness and commitment of railway staff not to be stopped by the perils from the service.
The Jaffar Express hijacking is a poignant episode in Pakistan's constant battle against internal security threats. It shows the intricacies of dealing with separatist uprisings, the cost in human lives of insurgencies, and the indomitable will of those who brave these trials every day.