Passengers Recall Fear And Chaos During Train Hijacking In Pakistan.
Passengers who survived a hijacking on the Jaffar Express in Pakistan’s Balochistan province have described the terrifying ordeal as “doomsday scenes” as armed militants stormed the train on Tuesday.
The Balochistan Liberation Army attacked the train, which was carrying over 400 passengers from Quetta to Peshawar, taking a number of them hostage. Several passengers, including the train driver, were reported injured.
Rescue efforts underway
According to military sources, 155 passengers have been freed and 27 militants killed, although these figures remain unverified. Hundreds of troops, along with helicopters and special forces, have been deployed to rescue the remaining hostages.
The Balochistan Liberation Army, which has waged a long-running insurgency in Balochistan, has warned of “severe consequences” if an attempt is made to free the hostages. Reports indicate that some militants may have left the train, taking an unknown number of passengers into the surrounding mountainous region.
Passengers describe their ordeal
Muhammad Ashraf, a passenger travelling to Lahore, recalled the chaos and fear among those on board.
“There was a lot of fear among the passengers. It was a scene of doomsday,” he said.
Along with a group of other passengers, Ashraf managed to escape and walked for nearly four hours to reach the nearest railway station. Some men carried weaker passengers on their shoulders.
Ishaq Noor, who was travelling with his wife and two children, described the panic after the initial explosion.
“The blast was so intense that one of my children fell from the seat. My wife and I tried to shield our children, thinking that if a bullet came our way, it would hit us instead,” he said.
Mushtaq Muhammad, who was in the train’s third carriage, said the militants spoke in Balochi and appeared focused on monitoring security personnel on board. He also noted that some Balochistan residents, women, children, and elderly passengers were released later in the evening.
Concerns over security
Meanwhile, the family of the injured train driver, Amjad Yasin, are anxiously awaiting news. His brother Amir revealed that Amjad had previously survived an attack about eight years ago when explosives targeted another train he was driving.
“For the past couple of weeks, we were under severe stress that something was about to happen. There was an air of fear,” Amir said.
International response
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed grave concern, urging authorities to find a peaceful, political solution to the crisis in Balochistan.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has strongly condemned the hijacking and called for the immediate release of the remaining passengers.
Rescue operations continue as security forces work to ensure the safe return of all those still held hostage.
