At least five people, including three children, were killed in a suicide bombing that targeted an army-run school bus in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Wednesday, May 21. The attack happened in Khuzdar district. Officials say around 40 students were on board when the blast occurred, and several were injured. Pakistan’s military and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, blaming what they called “Indian terror proxies”, though they did not provide any evidence. Balochistan’s Chief Minister, Sarfraz Bugti, also spoke out, saying the attackers had gone too far by targeting innocent schoolchildren. India, in response, firmly denied any involvement. It called the accusations “baseless” and offered condolences for the victims. India also accused Pakistan of trying to shift attention away from its problems by blaming India for its internal security failures. This tragic incident has once again increased tensions between the two neighbouring countries. Watch video.
22 May,2025 10:42 AM IST
A Pakistani army commander announced on March 15 that all militants involved in the hijacking of a train in the southwestern mountains had been "neutralized." Brigadier Umar Altaf confirmed the operation, saying the army used "precision targeting" to end the siege. The hijacked train, still in the remote mountain pass in Balochistan province, showed signs of the attack, including broken windows and shattered glass. Armed soldiers were seen guarding the area during the media visit. The hijacking took place on March 11, when militants took control of the Jaffar Express in a remote pass, blew up train tracks, and held passengers hostage for more than a day. The military reported that 31 people, including soldiers, railway staff, and civilians, had died as a result of the attack. Pakistan's military also accused India and Afghanistan of supporting the insurgents, although both countries denied the claims. The separatist group Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which took responsibility for the attack, claimed its fighters had escaped with 214 hostages and later executed them. However, there was no evidence to support this. Army spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that 33 militants were killed, 354 hostages were rescued, and the siege was brought to an end. Chaudhry also revised the death toll, confirming 23 soldiers, three railway employees, and five passengers died in the attack and the subsequent rescue operation. Pakistan has previously accused the BLA of exaggerating claims, and the group, which seeks independence for Balochistan, has been involved in long-running insurgencies against the Pakistani government.
16 March,2025 11:41 AM IST
On March 11, the Baloch Liberation Army hijacked the Jaffar Express after blowing up the railway track and firing rockets at the train. On March 12, Pakistani security forces stormed the hijacked train, killing all 33 militants and ending the hostage situation that lasted for a day. The military reported that 21 hostages and 4 security personnel were killed during the standoff. Recent footage showed injured victims being treated in a hospital in Quetta, where they described the terrifying ordeal. In recent months, the Baloch militants have intensified their attacks using new tactics to target Pakistan's military. The BLA claims they are fighting for a larger share of the region's resources, especially its mines and minerals.
13 March,2025 03:01 PM IST
On March 12, Pakistani security forces stormed a hijacked train, ending a tense standoff with separatist militants that lasted a day. The militants, from a Baloch separatist group, had taken control of the Jaffar Express on March 11 by blowing up the railway track and firing rockets at the train. New images showed injured passengers being carried on stretchers to the hospital. One of the rescued passengers shared the terrifying experience, saying that SSG commandos carried out a successful operation to save everyone on board. Watch video.
13 March,2025 10:43 AM IST
The militant group behind the Train hijack incident in Pakistan - Baloch Liberation Army has issued a chilling warning to China and Pakistan to withdraw from Balochistan. The militant group even released the footage of how they blew up the track and hijacked the Jaffer express. It has been more than 24 hours since the deadly Pakistan train hijack by the Baloch militants in Pakistan. Jaffar Express had been on its way from Quetta to city of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when it was fired and attacked by the Baloch militants.
12 March,2025 07:55 PM IST
It has been more than 24 hours since the deadly Pakistan train hijack by the Baloch militants in Pakistan. Quetta Railway station has been lining up with coffins and wore a deserted look as all the train services have been suspended. While the gunmen released several hostages, others are still held hostage with suicide bombers sitting next to them. Jaffar Express had been on way from Quetta to city of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when it was fired and attacked by the Baloch militants.
12 March,2025 07:51 PM IST
A major security crisis erupted in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province on Tuesday when separatist militants launched an attack on the Jaffar Express, a passenger train traveling from Quetta to Peshawar. The assault, carried out by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), left the train driver injured and more than 100 passengers taken hostage. This incident underscores the rising insurgency in Balochistan, where militant groups have long sought greater autonomy and control over the province's resources. Security sources report that the militants have positioned suicide bombers wearing explosive vests near some of the innocent hostages.
12 March,2025 07:32 PM IST
Foreign Affairs Expert Sushant Sareen commented on the Jaffar Express train attack in Balochistan, stating, "This attack is part of a broader series of assaults. While it is among the more daring attacks, it is just the latest in a line of operations by Baloch freedom fighters, who have been successfully targeting strategic locations. There’s nothing exceptional about it. This will likely bruise the pride of the Pakistan army and may lead to increased demands for a major military crackdown against the Baloch in the near future.
12 March,2025 01:20 PM IST
On March 11, family members anxiously gathered at the railway station in Quetta, awaiting news about their loved ones who were on a train targeted in southwestern Pakistan. Separatist militants took 35 passengers hostage, while local police reported that nearly 350 other passengers were believed to be safe. Some hostages were released by the gunmen and escorted by security forces to the railway station in Mach, though Reuters was unable to verify their identities. The Jaffar Express, traveling from Quetta to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was attacked while en route.
12 March,2025 01:17 PM IST
A bomb explosion in southwestern Pakistan on November 1 killed at least seven people, including five school students, and injured 23 others. The blast targeted a police van that was on its way to pick up a polio vaccination team. The bomb was hidden in a motorcycle parked near a girls' school in Mastung. One police officer was among the dead, but no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the violence. Pakistan is facing an increase in militant attacks, especially in the northwest, and a rising separatist movement in the south. This incident happened during a nationwide polio vaccination campaign, which started on Monday. Although polio cases dropped in 2023, there are currently 41 active cases in Pakistan. The country, along with Afghanistan, remains one of the last places where polio is still a major health issue, with militants often targeting vaccination efforts.
02 November,2024 11:24 AM ISTADVERTISEMENT
