'All Hostages Will Be Executed...', Baloch Rebels Issues FINAL Warning to Pakistan Army After Hijacking Jaffar Express

Islamabad: The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has issued a chilling ultimatum to the Pakistan Army after the hijacking of the Jaffar Express on Tuesday. The rebel group has warned that all hostages will be executed if Pakistan launches an operation. In a statement, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack and said they had taken hostages from the train, including security forces. Six military personnel were killed in the attack, the statement read.  

“The Baloch Liberation Army has carried out a meticulously planned operation in Mashkaf, Dhadar, Bolan, where our freedom fighters have blown up the railway track, forcing the Jaffar Express to come to a halt. The fighters swiftly took control of the train, holding all passengers hostage," it added. 

BLA's Final Warning

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has issued a final warning, declaring that if the aerial bombardment is not halted immediately, all 100 hostages will be executed within the next hour. The militant group's Majeed Brigade, STOS, Fatah Squad, and ZIRAB Unit fighters are actively engaged in countermeasures, warning that any further military incursion will result in catastrophic consequences.  
 

No Contact Established With 450 Passengers

Meanwhile, Railway officials in Pakistan have confirmed that no contact has been established with the 450 passengers and staff aboard the Jaffar Express, which was hijacked after departing from Quetta at 9 AM. 

Jaffar Express Hijacked: What We Know So Far 

Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) insurgents opened fire on a passenger train in Balochistan’s restive southwestern region, injuring the driver and prompting the security personnel aboard the train to return fire.

The attack occurred in the Bolan district while the train was en route from Quetta, the provincial capital, to Peshawar, as confirmed by government spokesperson Shahid Rind.

Following the driver’s injury, the train came to a halt in a remote area. Rind reported that reinforcements were being dispatched to Bolan, though no additional details were immediately provided. The situation involving the train and its passengers remained uncertain.

The Baloch Liberation Army, a separatist group leading a prolonged insurgency in Pakistan, took responsibility for the attack.

According to Pakistan Railways officials, the Jafar Express was carrying an estimated 400 passengers at the time of the assault.

Due to a history of separatist attacks on trains and security personnel, trains in Balochistan are typically accompanied by security forces.

In response to the hijacking of the Jafar Express, the Pakistan Army sent a relief train with soldiers and medical personnel from Quetta to Sibi in Balochistan. Over 100 passengers were on board, and the Baloch rebels released Baloch passengers, including women and children.

In November, the BLA was responsible for a suicide bombing at Quetta Railway Station, which claimed the lives of 26 people, including security personnel, railway workers, and passengers.

Balochistan, the largest yet least populated province in Pakistan, is rich in oil and minerals. It is home to the ethnic Baloch minority, who have long claimed they face discrimination and exploitation at the hands of the central government.