The passengers aboard the Jaffar Express were in for a long but otherwise routine journey from Quetta to Peshawar on March 11, 2025. The train, loaded with 400–500 passengers in nine coaches, had just crossed into the remote Bolan district of Balochistan when the deafening sound of an explosion shattered the calm. Moments later, bursts of gunfire echoed through the train cars. Chaos erupted as dozens of armed men, clad in tactical gear and carrying rifles, stormed the train. Within minutes, the Jaffar Express was under the control of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), setting off one of the most intense hostage crises in Pakistan’s recent history.
A Carefully Planned Ambush
The militants had executed a meticulously planned ambush. They targeted the train as it passed through the rugged Mashkaf area near the Piru tunnel — a remote and isolated stretch of mountainous terrain with poor cell reception and minimal security presence. Using explosives, the attackers blew up a section of the railway track, causing the train to derail or come to a grinding halt inside the tunnel.
“There was a huge explosion, and then gunfire — it felt like the earth was shaking,” recalled a survivor. The train’s driver was fatally wounded in the blast. Before the passengers could make sense of the situation, heavily armed militants flooded the coaches, opening fire and subduing any resistance. Security personnel aboard the train were quickly disarmed or killed. Overwhelmed and terrified, the passengers were forced to lie low as the militants methodically took control of the train, coach by coach.
Eyewitnesses later described how the attackers operated with chilling precision. They separated passengers, checking identity cards and singling out non-Baloch individuals and security personnel. The militants announced they would not harm “women, children, and Baloch people” but focused their aggression on outsiders and military personnel. Suicide bombers were positioned among the hostages, with explosive vests strapped to their chests — a deadly insurance policy against any rescue attempt.
By midday, Pakistani security forces, including the Army and Frontier Corps, had mobilized. Troops surrounded the area, but the mountainous terrain and the tunnel’s confined space made a frontal assault dangerous. Any rash move could trigger the suicide bombers, leading to mass casualties.
The First Breakthrough
As the standoff stretched into the afternoon, Pakistani commandos launched a precision raid on one coach, managing to free 80 hostages, including 26 women and 11 children. “The soldiers moved fast and took out the gunmen before they could detonate their vests,” said one of the rescued passengers. But the militants still controlled the majority of the train, and the threat of further violence remained dangerously high.
The hijackers soon issued their demands: the release of Baloch political prisoners and the return of missing persons allegedly held by Pakistan’s intelligence agencies. They threatened to kill the hostages if the government did not comply within 48 hours.
A High-Stakes Rescue Operation
Through the night and into the next day, Pakistani security forces devised a strategy to wear down the insurgents. Special forces attempted to isolate small groups of militants while snipers targeted those guarding the tunnel entrances. Commanders had to proceed cautiously — the militants’ tactic of using women and children as human shields made any aggressive push risky.
By the morning of March 12, security forces had freed an additional 190 passengers. The gunfight intensified as the army pushed deeper into the tunnel. “We could hear the gunfire and the shouting,” said a freed hostage. “The walls were shaking from the blasts.”
By midday, nearly 30 insurgents had been killed. The militants fought to the last man — some detonating their vests when surrounded, causing devastating injuries among the soldiers. At least eight security personnel were killed in the fighting. The final push came late in the evening as commandos cleared the last remaining cars, shooting down the last of the attackers.
The Aftermath
In total, nearly 400 passengers were rescued. Several dozen injured passengers were rushed to hospitals in Quetta and a makeshift field hospital at Mach railway station. Tragically, the train’s driver and several security personnel were among the dead. Officials were still determining the final civilian death toll at the time of reporting.
Pakistan’s government hailed the operation as a success, praising the military for its “swift and precise” handling of the crisis. “This was a carefully coordinated terrorist attack — our forces have shown exceptional courage,” said the country’s interior minister. The BLA’s motives were clear: political leverage. Their demands for the release of prisoners and greater autonomy for Balochistan were consistent with the insurgency’s long-standing grievances.
Why the Jaffar Express Was Targeted
The Jaffar Express was a deliberate target for multiple reasons. First, it symbolizes national unity — connecting the volatile Balochistan region with the rest of Pakistan. Targeting the train sent a message challenging the government’s authority over the region. Second, the BLA likely knew that security personnel were traveling on the train — off-duty soldiers and government officials frequently use it as a transit route. And third, the location was strategic. The remote Mashkaf tunnel gave the militants time to consolidate control and limited the army’s options for a rapid response.
The BLA’s strategy was calculated — not just about causing casualties, but about making a statement. Holding hundreds of hostages in a high-profile train gave the insurgents enormous bargaining power. Even though the Pakistani state refused to negotiate, the attack succeeded in drawing attention to the Baloch insurgency and its grievances.
Implications for Pakistan’s Security
The Jaffar Express hijacking marks a dangerous escalation in the Baloch insurgency. Pakistani security forces are now facing a more organized and tactically sophisticated enemy. The use of suicide bombers and human shields shows that the BLA is adopting tactics more commonly seen in Middle Eastern conflicts.
In response, Pakistan’s security establishment will likely increase surveillance and security along key transport routes. Already, train services in Balochistan have been suspended pending a full security review. But the attack also raises broader political questions. The Baloch insurgency is rooted in historical grievances over autonomy, resource exploitation, and alleged human rights abuses. Without addressing these issues, future attacks may be inevitable.
Internationally, the hijacking has drawn sharp condemnation — not just for the brutality of the attack, but for the BLA’s targeting of civilians. Pakistan’s government has accused “foreign actors” of supporting the insurgency, suggesting that India and Afghan-based groups could be involved. This could further strain already fragile regional ties.
A Nation on Edge
For the passengers who survived the ordeal, the scars will take time to heal. “We didn’t think we would make it out alive,” said one passenger. “Every second felt like the last.”
Pakistan now faces a sobering reality. The Jaffar Express attack exposed vulnerabilities not just in security but in national cohesion.
