‘Mistook Us For Dead’: Pakistan Train Hijack Survivor Recalls Militant Attack

The driver of the Jaffar Express, Amjad, has shared the horrifying details of the militant attack on the train, which resulted in the deaths of 21 civilians and four soldiers. The attack was carried out by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group.

Speaking about the ordeal, Amjad described how the militants detonated an explosive device under the train’s engine, leading to its derailment.

“The terrorists breached the train by smashing windows, but they mistakenly believed we were dead,” Amjad told news agency Reuters.

“As soon as the train stopped, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terrorists launched an attack,” he added.

Passengers Taken Hostage During Attack

One of the freed passengers recalled how the attackers took them hostage after the explosion.

“They held us at gunpoint, but the commandos risked their own lives to rescue us,” he said. He further added that the courage of the military gave them strength during the ordeal.

Pakistan’s military later announced that the Jaffar Express hostage crisis had come to an end after a tense two-day standoff.

Military Operation Ends Standoff

On Wednesday night, Pakistan’s army declared that all 33 attackers had been killed and more than 340 train passengers were freed after a fierce operation in southwest Balochistan, where the train had been ambushed.

However, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) rejected the Pakistan military’s claim. The militant group asserted that it still held hostages and remained engaged in battle with security forces.

The BLA accused the military of misleading the public and claimed that the hostages, whom Pakistan’s forces said they had rescued, were actually released by the BLA itself.

“Now that the state has abandoned its hostages to die, it will also bear responsibility for their deaths,” BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch said in a statement.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Condemns the Attack

Following the attack, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Balochistan to assess the security situation and express solidarity with the victims. He strongly condemned the increasing threat of militancy, calling it an existential danger to Pakistan.

“Pakistan’s peace and prosperity are linked with eradicating terrorism. There will be no prosperity without peace,” he stated at a high-level meeting.

Death Toll Discrepancies

Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the number of casualties in the attack. Pakistan’s military reported that “21 innocent hostages” and four soldiers were killed in the operation.

However, a railway official in Balochistan provided a different figure, stating that 25 bodies were recovered from the site and transported to the nearby town of Mach.

“The deceased were identified as 19 military passengers, one police officer, and one railway official, while four bodies are yet to be identified,” an anonymous railway official told AFP.

The tragic attack has once again highlighted the ongoing security challenges in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, as authorities continue efforts to combat insurgent violence in the region.