Pakistan on Wednesday completed the rescue operations in the Jaffar Express hijack incident and said that all hostages had been freed. The army claimed that 33 Baluch Liberation Army (BLA) militants, which had claimed responsibility for the attack, had been killed.
“All present terrorists there have been sent to hell and their total number was 33,” said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director general Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry speaking to news anchor Kamran Shahid on Dunya News.
“The armed forces successfully concluded the operation in the (Wednesday) evening by killing all terrorists and rescuing all passengers safely,” he said.
In an operation that went on for more than 24 hours, the Pakistan security officials said that no passenger was hurt and “the number of passengers who fell victim to the barbarism of the terrorists is 21.”
‘Deeply shocked’: PM Sharif reacts
Reacting to the incident a day after it happened, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif expressed condolences towards those who got killed.
“Spoke with 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,” he said.
“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.
How rescue operation unfolded?
Providing the details of the operation, Lt Gen Sharif said, “The rescue operation began immediately, with participation from the Army, Air Force, Frontier Corps, and Special Services Group commandos.”
“The rescue operation continued periodically, and in the final clearance operation in the evening, all remaining hostages were secured. Since the terrorists were using passengers as human shields, the operation was conducted with extreme precision and caution,” he added.
The terrorists maintained communication with their facilitators and masterminds in Afghanistan through satellite phones, indicating a foreign connection, officials revealed.
He said that security forces took time to complete the operation as the militants were using hostages as human shields. By Tuesday evening, around 100 passengers had been safely rescued, with a larger number, including women and children, freed on Wednesday.
USA, EU, China condemn the attack
The attack received international condemnation with US, China and EU expressing their support for Pakistan.
“We stand in solidarity with Pakistan during this difficult time,” US embassy said.
“We strongly condemn the terrorist attack in Balochistan on 11 March. Our deepest condolences go the people of Pakistan and families of victims. As the situation is still unfolding, we express our profound concern for the hostages and call for their immediate release,” EU ambassador to Pakistan Riina Kionka said.
“We noted the reports and strongly condemn this terrorist attack,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said.
What next?
Lt Gen Sharif warned that “the train attack has changed the rule of the game”.
“We cannot allow anyone to target Pakistanis on the behalf of their foreign paymasters,” he said.
For the first time, the BLA or any insurgent group in Balochistan has resorted to hijacking a passenger train. However, since last year, they have intensified attacks on security forces, installations, and foreigners across the province.
Baloch militants have frequently targeted railway tracks in the region using rockets and remote-controlled bombs, with the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claiming responsibility for most attacks.
In October last year, Pakistan Railways resumed train services between Quetta and Peshawar after a suspension of over a month and a half. However, just a month later, a suicide blast at Quetta Railway Station killed at least 26 people and injured 62.
Balochistan, which shares borders with Iran and Afghanistan, has long been plagued by violent insurgency. Baloch separatist groups regularly attack security forces, government projects, and infrastructure linked to the $ 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in the resource-rich province.