2025 Jaffar Express hijacking

2025 Jaffar Express hijacking २०२५ जाफ़र एक्सप्रेस ट्रेनहरण
Part of the insurgency in Balochistan
Jaffar Express train pictured in 2021
Location	Bolan Pass, Sibi, Balochistan, Pakistan
Coordinates	Template:Wikidatacoord
Date	11 March 2025 (2025-03-11) c. 1:15 p.m. (PST)
Target	Civilians, security personnel
Attack type	Hijacking, hostage-taking, mass shooting, bombings, shootout, ambush
Weapons	IEDs, rocket launchers, automatic firearms, suicide vests, sniper rifles
Deaths	64 (including all 33 militants)
Injured	38
Victims	380
Perpetrator	Balochistan Liberation Army
No. of participants	33

On 11 March 2025, the Jaffar Express, a train in Pakistan travelling from Quetta to Peshawar with approximately 440 passengers on board, was seized by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The assailants allegedly set off explosives in tunnels and along the tracks before opening fire on the train. Officials reported that at least 71 individuals lost their lives in the incident, including eight soldiers and all of the attackers, while 37 others sustained injuries. The BLA issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding the release of Baloch political prisoners, threatening that hostages would face "punishment" if their demands were not met, although some hostages had been released. Consequently, Pakistan Railways temporarily halted train services between Balochistan and the provinces of Punjab and Sindh.

Between 11 and 12 March, Pakistani military forces conducted several operations on the hijacked train, successfully rescuing 346 hostages and eliminating all 33 BLA insurgents involved. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the assault as "cowardly acts," extended condolences to the families of the victims, and remarked after the crisis was resolved that the BLA members "have been sent to hell." The BLA's attack on civilians drew widespread condemnation from numerous global leaders, who expressed solidarity with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism. In the aftermath of the incident, Pakistan Railways announced measures to bolster security by increasing patrols across the country's railway systems and enhancing inspections of passengers and transport vehicles to avert similar incidents in the future.

Background

Since the creation of Pakistan, the province of Balochistan has experienced insurgencies and conflicts led by Baloch separatists and Islamic militant groups opposing the government of Pakistan. Since 2001, various armed groups in Balochistan have carried out violent campaigns aimed at obstructing significant development projects, believing that such initiatives would primarily benefit other provinces.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is an ethnonationalist group established in 2000. Members of this organisation claim their goal is to attain regional independence from Pakistan and gain control over the area's natural resources, particularly oil and minerals. The BLA has previously targeted civilians and, more frequently, Pakistani security forces. It has been officially banned in Pakistan since 2006. Following its ban, the group has perpetrated numerous attacks resulting in significant casualties; the most recent incident before the 2025 train hijacking was a suicide bombing at Quetta railway station in November 2024, which claimed 32 lives.

Victims

Officials claimed that all 33 BLA fighters involved in the attack were killed. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of the military's propaganda wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), provided details on the casualties, stating that five civilians, three railway employees, and eighteen security personnel who were passengers on the train lost their lives. Additionally, three Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were killed at a picket point, one FC soldier was killed on Wednesday morning, and another was stationed for security duty on the train.

Among the victims were at least three minors, and officials expressed concerns that the death toll could increase due to the substantial number of injuries sustained during the incident. Initially, it was reported that the train driver, Amjad Yasin, had been killed; however, it was later confirmed that he had only suffered injuries after being shot in the back when BLA fighters opened fire on the train. Yasin, with 24 years of experience as a train driver, had previously survived a train explosion eight years prior.

Pakistani human rights activist Mama Qadeer claimed that over 200 security personnel had been killed during the attack, while reports indicated that at least 17 passengers and three security personnel were injured. A subsequent report suggested that a total of 37 hostages sustained injuries during the assault.

Hijacking

At 9 a.m. on 11 March 2025 (INC: 20 saura Phālguna 1946), the Jaffar Express passenger train set off from Quetta, heading towards Peshawar over a distance of approximately 1,600 kilometers. The train carried around 450 passengers, including military personnel. Prior to the hijacking, members of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) sabotaged the train tracks, causing the train to halt in a mountainous region. The hijacking occurred about 157 kilometers from Quetta and roughly 21 kilometers west of Sibi, specifically inside Tunnel No. 8, situated between Pehro Kunri and Mushkaf stations. The insurgents detonated explosives on the tracks before opening fire on the train.

The train was escorted by only a small contingent of police and paramilitary personnel. An eyewitness reported that “hundreds” of separatists surrounded the train tracks during the attack. The defenders engaged in combat with the separatists, managing to resist for over an hour and a half. However, they eventually ran out of ammunition, leaving them unable to continue their defense against the overwhelming assault.

During the hijacking, separatists equipped with suicide vests boarded the train and systematically separated passengers into groups based on gender, checking their identification cards. Notably, the attackers refrained from harming elderly individuals or women. Due to the isolated mountainous location of the incident, the fate of the hostages remained uncertain in the immediate aftermath. Shahid Rind, the spokesman for the Balochistan provincial government, indicated that the challenging terrain hindered authorities' ability to swiftly access the area. In response to the attack, Pakistan Railways temporarily suspended all train operations between Balochistan and the provinces of Punjab and Sindh, as well as vice versa, to ensure safety and security.

Responsibility

The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for a recent attack, with spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch stating that over 50 personnel from law enforcement agencies, including soldiers from the Pakistan Army who were reportedly on leave, were killed alongside 214 hostages.

On 14 March 2025 (INC: 23 saura phālguna 1946), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry alleged that the BLA insurgents received support from "handlers in Afghanistan", implicating a mastermind based in India. He asserted that these militants were coordinated under the guidance of individuals in Afghanistan, who communicated with them using satellite phones. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan echoed this assertion, emphasising that facilitators from Afghanistan played a role in organising the attack while also placing blame on India for its involvement.

Chief Minister of Balochistan, Sarfraz Bugti, claimed to possess "solid evidence" regarding India's complicity in the incident but refrained from providing specific details. Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi further accused India of efforts to destabilize Pakistan, particularly in relation to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). On 18 March 2025 (INC: 27 saura Phālguna 1946), Munir Akram, Pakistan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, addressed the UN Security Council, arguing that Afghanistan had not taken sufficient measures to counter terrorist groups and asserting that incidents like the train hijacking were part of broader efforts to undermine stability in Pakistan.

Domestic reactions

Pakistan's leadership expressed strong condemnation of the hijacking of the Jaffar Express, with President Asif Ali Zardari commending the security forces for successfully rescuing the passengers from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conveyed optimism that the security forces would eliminate what he termed "coward terrorists", whom he viewed as adversaries to Balochistan's development.<. In a post on X, Sharif mentioned his conversation with Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti regarding the incident and denounced it as a "cowardly act" that would not undermine the nation's commitment to "resolve for peace". He extended condolences to the families of the deceased, wished for the swift recovery of survivors, and asserted that the insurgents had "been sent to hell".

Several other prominent Pakistani politicians, including Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Sindh Home Minister Zia Ul Hassan Lanjar, Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani, and National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, also condemned the attack unequivocally. Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi characterised the BLA's assault on the train as coordinated and part of a broader foreign conspiracy. He confirmed that all passengers were rescued but refrained from providing further details about the operation, mentioning only that a rescue train had been dispatched to assist. Abbasi later praised the armed forces for their swift response, particularly highlighting the commandos' success in preventing suicide bombers from detonating explosives.

Pakistan Army Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry condemned any harm inflicted on civilians, asserting that those responsible would be pursued relentlessly and brought to justice. He emphasized that the attack represented a significant shift in the operational landscape, stating that it "changes the rules of the game."

International reactions

• United Nations: Secretary-General António Guterres "strongly condemned" the train siege and also called for the immediate release of remaining passengers.
• Azerbaijan: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed their shock for the terrorist attack, wished condolences for its victims, and confirmed support for Pakistan against terrorism.
• China: Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning condemned the terrorist attack and reaffirmed support for Pakistan in combatting terrorism and maintaining stability.
• European Union: Riina Kionka, the EU ambassador to Pakistan, voiced condemnation over the attack on X.
• Germany: Alfred Grannas, the German ambassador to Pakistan, referred to the BLA political violence as "unacceptable", especially in the context of civilians.
• Iran: Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei expressed concern over civilian lives being endangered by the attack and reaffirmed support for Pakistan's fight against terrorism. The Iranian embassy for Pakistan similarly voiced condemnation against BLA for its attack on civilians and public transportation.
• Norway: The Norwegian embassy in Pakistan offered sympathy for the many lives that it recognized were lost in the conflict.
• Russia: The Russian Embassy in Pakistan condemned the "barbaric attack" due to the reported use of civilians as human shields by the insurgents.
• Turkey: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a written statement offering condolences to victims and hoping that all hostages are recovered.
• United Kingdom: Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the attack and voiced support for families of victims.
• United States: The US embassy in Islamabad expressed condemnation for the attack by BLA, expressed sympathy for the victims, and said that it stood in support with Pakistan.