A train carrying approximately 440 passengers was hijacked by militants in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, marking an unprecedented escalation in the region’s insurgency. The attackers, linked to the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), abducted an unknown number of passengers and fled into the surrounding mountainous terrain, security officials reported.During the assault, the militants detonated railway tracks and opened fire near a mountain tunnel, causing chaos on board. Some passengers managed to escape on foot, walking for hours to reach safety. Eyewitnesses described harrowing scenes, with passenger Ishaq Noor recalling: “We held our breath throughout the firing, not knowing what would happen next.”Authorities, facing communication challenges due to the remote location’s lack of mobile coverage, launched a large-scale rescue mission involving helicopters and hundreds of troops. By Wednesday morning, over 100 passengers had been freed, but the exact number of those still unaccounted for remains unclear.The BLA, designated a terrorist organization by Pakistan, the UK, and the US, has long waged an insurgency for greater autonomy or independence, citing exploitation of Balochistan’s rich resources. This incident marks their first train hijacking, with militants reportedly demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners within 48 hours.The hijacking lasted more than 30 hours before security forces regained control. A military spokesperson has vowed that all those involved in the attack will be brought to justice.
