Islamabad, March 12 (IANS) The standoff between the fighters of the Baloch Liberation Army’s (BLA) Majeed Brigade and the Pakistani military after the massive attack on Jaffar Express passenger train in Bolan district has finally ended after more than 24 hours, several reports indicated on Wednesday evening.
Sources confirmed that the military operation to neutralise the attackers and rescue the hostages has concluded and a clearance operation has been successfully conducted in which at least 346 hostages have been rescued and around 50 attackers neutralized.
The train, on its way from Balochistan’s capital Quetta to Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), was hijacked by BLA militants and over 400 people were taken as hostages.
“Operation concluded, site has been cleared. All hostages released. Total rescued 346 – 168 last night and 178 rescued today. 50 terrorists eliminated,” confirmed a reliable security source.
Security sources stated that the militants were using women and children as human shields.
“The clearance operation was carried out with extreme caution and skill, resulting in many lives being saved. The number of passengers who had fallen victim to the brutality of terrorists is being determined,” the source added.
It was also revealed that the handler of the attackers, the mastermind behind the attack, was in active contact with the militants from Afghanistan.
The BLA separatist group claimed responsibility for the attack, along with multiple unverifiable claims of releasing all women and children, and keeping over 200 hostages, who hailed from Punjab province and were working with the security forces. BLA also claimed to have killed at least 20 of the abducted security personnel after checking their IDs.
On Tuesday, a large number of BLA militants forced the Jaffar Express passenger train to come to a halt after blowing off the track in the Dhabar area of Bolan Pass in Balochistan.
Security forces and the railway authorities confirmed that the train had come under attack near Tunnel No. 8 of the Bolan pass.
Pakistan military launched a clearance operation reaching the site through cargo trains. Sources say that the hostages released in the initial stage had to walk at least seven kilometers to reach the nearby railway station where they were received by the security personnel.
“We came under attack from all sides. They were everywhere. We could hear gun shots fired from everywhere. Passengers were putting cloths over themselves to hide. It was horrific,” said a rescued hostage who detailed his ordeal during the whole incident.
“We all walked about four about three-and-a-half hours and about seven kilometres before reaching the Panir railway station. The militants told us to not look back and keep walking. Some of the ladies, who have come here, have had to walk hours without their shoes on to reach the Panir station,” he added.
The attack has been condemned by several countries, including the United States, Iran, and Germany.
Balochistan Chief Minister chaired a high-level meeting on law and order where he was briefed about the Jaffar train attack.
“They want to impose their ideology with gun and violence. Should we allow them to take people off buses and kill them?”, questioned Balochistan CM Sarfaraz Bugti.
Bugti said that the passengers in the train comprised of many soldiers headed home while on leave, emphasising that they were unarmed.
“There are rules in war and there are laws. What will history say? That innocent teachers, barbers, and doctors were murdered? Whoever commits acts of violence against the state, whoever tries to partake in it, whoever takes up arms, the state will punish them unequivocally,” he said.
“Terrorists can’t occupy even an inch. The terrorist attack aims to create an impression of a violent environment. The dream of anti-national elements to cut Pakistan like a cake can never be realised. We must rid ourselves of any confusion and fight the war against terrorism,” he added.
–IANS
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