Over 450 passengers were held hostage after armed militants hijacked the Jaffar Express train in Pakistan's restive Balochistan Province on Thursday. The attackers reportedly stormed the train near the town of Mach, forcing it to stop and taking control of multiple carriages.
In a social media statement, the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), an organization designated as a terrorist group by Pakistan and several countries, claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistani security forces swiftly cordoned off the area and initiated negotiations, though officials have yet to officially confirm the perpetrators' identities.
Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province, has faced decades of insurgency linked to demands for greater autonomy. The incident underscores ongoing security challenges in the resource-rich region, which is central to major infrastructure projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Analysts suggest such attacks could impact investor confidence in regional stability.
Families of passengers have appealed for urgent resolution, while regional authorities emphasize prioritizing civilian safety. This marks one of the largest-scale hostage situations involving public transport in Pakistan since 2014.
