A passenger train carrying hundreds of people was attacked by armed militants in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, forcing it to halt. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the assault on the Jaffar Express, which was en route from Quetta to Peshawar. According to reports, the militants bombed the track before storming the train in the remote Sibi district. Pakistani authorities confirmed that at least three people, including the train driver, sustained injuries in the attack. Security forces have been deployed to the scene. The BLA claims to have taken several passengers, including security personnel, hostage and has issued threats of severe consequences should any rescue attempt be made. However, officials have not verified these claims. Quetta’s railway controller stated that 400-450 passengers were onboard, but there is no independent confirmation of hostages. A senior police officer reported that the train remains immobilized near a tunnel in a mountainous area, with no internet or mobile coverage available, making communication difficult. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Nawaz condemned the attack, expressing prayers for the swift recovery of the injured. Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province, has long faced insurgency from separatist groups like the BLA, which frequently target infrastructure and security forces.
