Baloch Rebels Issue 48-Hour ‘Final & Irrevocable’ Ultimatum to Pakistan Army For Prisoner Swap, Over 30 Dead- wna24

Pakistan Train Hijack: Hours after hijacking the Jaffar Express, a passenger train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar with around 500 people on board, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) has issued a fresh ultimatum to the Pakistan Army. Declaring the 214 captured security personnel as prisoners of war, the rebel group has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Baloch political prisoners, forcibly disappeared persons, and national resistance activists. 

The BLA has given 48 hours for negotiations, warning that failure to comply could lead to severe consequences.  Declaring their stance as “final and irrevocable,” the BLA has warned that it is fully prepared to execute its plan should its demands be ignored. “The occupying enemy is warned that the BLA is fully capable of effectively and promptly implementing every decision it makes,” the statement read. 

BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch asserted that the captured 214 Pakistani personnel were being treated as prisoners of war in accordance with “the rules of war.” The group stated that the hostages were being held under full security and that a prisoner exchange was the preferred course of action.

“If our demands are not met within the stipulated period or if the occupying state attempts any military action during this time, all prisoners of war will be neutralized, and the train will be completely destroyed,” the BLA warned. 

OCCUPYING FORCES RETREAT, MORE THAN 30 PERSONNEL ELIMINATED, 48-HOUR ULTIMATUM FOR PRISONER EXCHANGE – BLA

Baloch Liberation Army freedom fighters, through planned military strategy and aggressive advances, forced the ground and air reinforcements of the occupying Pakistani army to retreat after eight hours of fighting. In the clashes that continued for several hours, more than 30 enemy personnel have been eliminated so far, with many others wounded, while the occupying forces have suffered heavy losses.

BLA has maintained complete control of the train and all hostages for the past eight hours. Under the rules of war, these 214 hostages are considered prisoners of war, and BLA is prepared for a prisoner exchange. The occupying state of Pakistan is given 48 hours to immediately and unconditionally release Baloch political prisoners, forcibly disappeared persons, and national resistance activists.

The 214 Pakistani personnel, including military, paramilitary, police, and intelligence officers, are being held under full security and in accordance with the rules of war by the BLA. If our demands are not met within the stipulated period, or if the occupying state attempts any military action during this time, all prisoners of war will be neutralized, and the train will be completely destroyed. The Pakistani army will bear full responsibility for the consequences.

This announcement is final and irrevocable. The occupying enemy is warned that the BLA is fully capable of effectively and promptly implementing every decision it makes.

For the unversed, Jaffar Express, with around 500 passengers on board in nine coaches, was on its way from Quetta to Peshawar in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa when it was fired upon between Gudalaar and Piru Koneri.  

Earlier in a statement, the BLA warned that if the Pakistan military launches an operation, “all hostages will be executed”.

“There are reports of intense firing at a Jaffar Express, which was heading from Quetta to Peshawar, between Pehro Kunri and Gadalar,” Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said.

An emergency was declared in the local hospitals.

Security sources said that the operation will continue till the elimination of the last terrorist. They said the operation is complicated due to the difficult terrain.

Railway officials confirmed that the train’s driver sustained serious injuries, and an emergency relief train has been dispatched to assist.

Controller Railways Muhammad Kashif said that the train, comprising nine coaches, had around 500 passengers on board.

“The train was stopped by armed men in Tunnel No 8,” the controller said.

There are 17 tunnels in this area on the railway line and due to the difficult terrain, the speed of the train is often slow.

The Balochistan government directed local authorities to take “emergency measures”.

A provincial government statement said an emergency was imposed at Sibi hospital.

Geo News, citing security sources, reported that terrorists targeted a train by blowing up a section of the track, forcing it to stop. They then opened fire on the engine, injuring the driver. 

A gunfight ensued between the attackers and security personnel on board. The assailants eventually seized control of the train inside a tunnel. Reports indicated that communication with the train crew was disrupted due to the lack of mobile and telephone networks in the area.

Condemning the incident, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said: “The beasts who fire on innocent passengers do not deserve any concessions.” 

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur also reacted strongly to the and expressed concern over the hostage-taking of passengers by the terrorists.

  “Targeting innocent passengers and endangering their lives is a cowardly and brutal act,” Gandapur said.

In the past, the railway tracks in this area have been attacked by Baloch rebels using rockets or remote-controlled bombs, and the BLA claimed responsibility for most of the attacks.  

After a suspension of over a month and a half, Pakistan Railways announced in October last year the restoration of train services between Quetta and Peshawar. The move came despite an increase in terrorist attacks in Balochistan over the past year.

In November 2024, a deadly suicide blast at Quetta Railway Station claimed at least 26 lives and left 62 others injured, highlighting the persistent security threats in the region.

Balochistan, which shares borders with Iran and Afghanistan, has been the epicenter of a long-running violent insurgency. Baloch insurgent groups frequently launch attacks targeting security forces, government infrastructure, and the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in the resource-rich province.