by Admin
12/03/2025
Passengers who were freed by the Pakistan special forces from the Jaffar Express, seized by armed militants of Pakistan’s Balochistan province, have recounted the harrowing events that unfolded during the attack.
One of the passengers, Ishaq Noor, described the ordeal as “doomsday scenes,” stating, “We held our breath throughout the firing, not knowing what would happen next.”
Noor was among the over 400 passengers traveling from Quetta to Peshawar on Tuesday when the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) launched the assault, resulting in injuries to several individuals, including the train driver.
Military sources reported that 155 passengers were rescued, while 27 militants were killed. However, these figures have not been independently verified.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with security forces deploying hundreds of troops, helicopters, and special forces personnel to secure the release of the remaining hostages.
The BLA issued warnings of “severe consequences” if rescue attempts continued.
Approximately 100 of the passengers were members of the security forces, according to Pakistani officials.
The exact number of hostages still held is unclear, but more than a dozen of those freed have been hospitalized for treatment.
Prodesq gathered that some militants may have left the train, taking an unknown number of passengers into the surrounding mountainous area.
At Quetta railway station on Wednesday, dozens of empty coffins were observed being loaded, intended for potential casualties.
Muhammad Ashraf, a passenger traveling to Lahore, recounted the fear among passengers, describing the scene as “a scene of doomsday.”
Ashraf and a group managed to disembark and walked for over four hours to the next railway station, assisting weaker passengers along the way.
Noor, who was traveling with his wife and two children, recalled the intensity of the initial explosion, which caused one of his children to fall from their seat. Amidst the gunfire, he and his wife shielded their children, fearing for their lives.
Another passenger, Mushtaq Muhammad, described the panic among passengers and noted that the attackers communicated in Balochi and overheard their leader instructing the attackers to monitor security personnel closely.
The militants began releasing some Balochistan residents, as well as women, children, and elderly passengers, on Tuesday evening.
Noor was released after informing the attackers that he was from Turbat city in Balochistan and was traveling with his family.
Relatives of the train’s driver, Amjad Yasin, are anxiously awaiting news after learning of his injury.
Yasin, a train driver for 24 years, had previously survived an explosive attack on another train about eight years ago. His brother, Amir, expressed the family’s distress, noting that they had been under severe stress in recent weeks due to an atmosphere of fear.
The BLA has continuously waged a decades-long insurgency seeking independence for Balochistan and has launched numerous deadly attacks, often targeting police stations, railway lines, and highways.
The group accuses the Pakistani government of exploiting Balochistan’s resources without benefiting the local population.