Baloch BLA separatists take 35 hostages in Pakistan train attack

Baloch BLA separatist militants take 35 hostages in Pakistan train attack — Balochistan has been the scene of attacks by separatist groups, 2016. Photo: EPA

QUETTA, Balochistan — A separatist militant group attacked a passenger train in southwestern Pakistan, taking dozens of hostages and wounding the train’s driver, authorities said Tuesday.

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has been waging an insurgency for decades, claimed responsibility for the attack and stated it was holding 182 people. The group threatened to execute hostages if security forces did not withdraw from the area, according to a statement sent to journalists and posted online.

Local police initially reported that 35 passengers had been taken hostage, while nearly 350 others were safe. Officials said the train was stuck inside a tunnel after coming under attack, and emergency services were working to secure the passengers.

Authorities launched a large-scale security operation involving helicopters and special forces. Security personnel reported an explosion near the tunnel, followed by heavy gunfire as they engaged with the attackers in the surrounding mountains.

Senior police officer Rana Dilawar confirmed that a relief train was on its way to assist stranded passengers. “Women and children are safe, and efforts are underway to evacuate them,” he said.

The attack targeted the Jaffar Express, which was traveling from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province, to Peshawar in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, condemned the attack, calling the perpetrators “merciless criminals who target innocent civilians.” He vowed there would be no negotiations with the militants.

Balochistan authorities declared an emergency, but spokesperson Shahid Rind did not provide further details.

The BLA, which is seeking independence for Balochistan, claimed to have killed 20 security personnel and shot down a drone. There was no immediate confirmation of these claims from Pakistani officials.

The group stated that while it had released some civilian passengers—especially women, children, and elderly individuals—others, including security forces personnel, remained in its custody.

“If military action continues, all hostages will be executed,” the BLA warned in its statement.

Balochistan has long been a center of separatist unrest, with militants arguing that the province’s natural resources are being exploited by the central government without benefiting local communities.

The BLA has grown more aggressive in recent years, adopting advanced tactics to target the Pakistani military and Chinese projects in the region. The group previously carried out high-profile attacks on security bases and used female suicide bombers, including in an attack on Chinese nationals in Karachi.

Recently, multiple Baloch militant factions announced they were merging under a unified command structure, raising concerns of intensified insurgent activity.

Balochistan is a key part of China’s $65 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which includes infrastructure projects, a deep-sea port in Gwadar, and major mining operations.

Security analysts note that while the insurgency remains largely confined to Balochistan, its impact could have broader implications for regional stability and foreign investments.

(With files from Reuters)